Remote working offers many benefits such as cost savings for workers, but are there downsides?

Remote working invokes different pictures in the minds of different people. For workers, it’s a dream come true – a peaceful day spent away from the busy and chaotic workplace. Employers consider it as a nightmare, visualizing no tasks getting completed as workers, while away, spend their day entertaining themselves and doing non-work-related stuff.

So the question remains, does remote working really work? This article will look at the benefits and drawbacks of remote working to help you decide whether it’s an ideal option for you and your company.

What are the benefits of remote working?

  1. Reduced commute time and increased productivity

A reduction in commute time can save your employees from the everyday hectic and unpleasant commute, but it could lead to an improvement in your business as well. Working from home allows your employees to settle on their desk on time and when they are fresh.

Also Read: Can a sustainable workplace be profitable too?

You don’t have to deal with cases of lateness and absenteeism due to rush hour traffic. What’s more, remote working cuts traveling expenses significantly, allowing your employees to afford the things they love. The outcome is a happier, fit, and more goal-oriented workforce.

  1. A wider pool of potential recruits

Younger generations have been brought up in an environment where they can communicate inexpensively and effectively irrespective of their location. So they anticipate the same in a place of work. Various surveys show that younger workers focus on workplace flexibility when they are searching for a new job. As an employer, providing this kind of benefit can help you hire the young, talented workers that otherwise might not apply for the position.

Offering employees the freedom to work from home enables you to recruit outside of typical commuting distance. This allows companies operating in areas with skills shortages to expand their nets and hire highly skilled individuals, their location notwithstanding.

  1. Take advantage of modern technology

Today’s rapidly growing technology makes remote working possible. Technology is the driving force behind workplace mobility, with smartphones, lightning-fast Wi-Fi connections, cloud computing, project management software, and instant messaging enabling workers to communicate and work together instantly.

  1. Increased employee retention

Low employee retention is one of the challenges that small businesses struggle with constantly. Bearing in mind that small businesses cannot match the salaries and benefits offered by bigger organizations, it is imperative to maximize the advantages at hand.

Also Read: How do understand and adapt to different working cultures

Larger organizations manage to retain more of their workers through ceaseless meeting and archaic workplace practices. Small businesses that maintain liveliness and entrepreneurial spirit with their workplace can win such employees.

What are the drawbacks of remote working?

Remote working is not always rosy. There are some challenges that come with working remotely. Here are 3 of them.

  1. Lack of organization

Most people who opt for remote working face the challenge of lack of organization. Employees who are working remotely may find it hard to set aside a room explicitly for work. Over time, they may find themselves mixing up work tasks with their house chores.

What to do

Encourage your employees to come up with a well-defined work schedule and a specific space or room to do it.

  1. A lack of community

When you only see colleagues in a weekly video call or chat, it’s difficult to build strong comradeship that makes for effective communications. Remote working leads to loss of face-to-face interaction, which is necessary during activities that are more collaborative in nature.

What to do

Organize face-to-face meeting at least once per year. Such meetings will provide an opportunity for your employees to interact and get to know each other. You can also offer and build an online meeting place.

  1. Isolation

Team members who depend on others’ energy to maintain their work efforts may feel isolated and lonely when working from home. Such feelings may result in a decline in productivity.

What to do

Encourage your workers to come up with more ways to connect and interact with each other. Offer the option of working from a physical office from time to time. Encourage them to participate in industry-related activities.

Also Read: Don’t eliminate risk, manage it

All factors considered a good remote working strategy can noticeably enhance your company culture. It requires patience and practice to put in place an effective remote work policy. However, there are many real-life examples and studies that prove that remote working is a feasible option.

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