The Pros and Cons of Remote Working

Remote working has seen a monumental rise in popularity since the beginning of the pandemic. Employees across industries have set up home offices and remote working stations. Organizations have adjusted their systems to accommodate workforces that are working remotely. The upswing in remote working is one of the critical impacts of COVID-19 on international markets. 

But is work from home suitable for employees and organizations? Has it enhanced productivity or hampered it? And what impact does working remotely have on organizational culture as a whole? 

These are just some of the questions we’ll address as we look at the pros and cons of remote working.

So let’s dive in.

Pros of Remote Working

There’s no denying that working remotely has its benefits. Let’s take a look at what these are.

• Greater Flexibility

The first and foremost advantage of remote working is the flexibility it affords employees. Employees find it easier to work from home because it gives them the leisure to choose their breaks and adjust work schedules accordingly. 90% of the U.S. employees who already work remotely reported not going back to offices if they opened up again.

That’s because workers are getting used to the freedom and independence that comes along with remote working. As employees can adjust their working schedules to fit in with other activities, it increases productivity and overall satisfaction.

• More Family Time

In addition to more flexibility, employees are finding more time for their families. And that’s important because one of the most common complaints employees have from their jobs is that it takes them away from their families. 

With the increase in remote working, employees are finding more time to spend with their loved ones. This shift in priorities allows employees to work with focus and dedication and feel more fulfilled with their jobs. Not to mention, with no commute to add into the equation, people have more time for themselves. And with a pandemic on the rampage, this quality time is more critical than ever.

• Higher Productivity

From what we’ve discussed above, it should come as no surprise that some organizations love employee productivity with remote working. As employees are working from a place of comfort, they are working better. For employees in industries with limited people interaction, remote working is perfect.

Such employees report higher productivity thanks to limited interactions and distractions from the office place. But this advantage is limited to only individual-specific businesses and industries. Chief among these are digital marketing agencies and customer support service providers. Other industry employees would still prefer working in an office environment. But we’ll talk more about that later on.

• Greater Autonomy in Job Role

Interestingly, one of the benefits of remote working is a higher job autonomy as micromanagement is impossible in virtual work environments, so managers have had to afford employees more control over their role. As a result, employees are expanding their job roles and increasing their skillset thanks to the increased autonomy.

• Leadership Evolution

Leaders are now thinking differently when it comes to managing and directing their people. As employees show greater comfort with working from home, directors and supervisors have had to adjust strategy accordingly. Indeed, several key industries within the U.S. have demonstrated evolving leadership patterns. 

The companies of tomorrow are taking into account the ‘new normal’ after the pandemic is over. Apart and parcel of this new reality will understand the leadership dynamic of remote employees. As the nature of work changes, so too must the pattern that directs it. For many, this is a positive change as it allows companies to move out of their shell and become more relevant in modern times. 

• A shift in Organizational Culture

As a result of everything discussed above, experts are noting a change in organizational culture. The pandemic is changing the workplace culture for the better as employees become more tech-savvy and more digitally integrated. There’s no questioning that the future is, in fact, digital. And remote working has allowed companies to get a taste of that in advance. 

Now firms are redirecting resources to accommodate remote working and digital workspaces. Besides, there’s a greater focus on human development as the pandemic has threatened the sanctity of human life. All in all, remote working is rapidly changing how firms go about managing their culture and workforce.

Cons of Remote Working

With all the benefits of remote working, there are some downsides as well. Here are just some of the things employees are struggling with when it comes to working from home.

• Mental Exhaustion & Stress

Staring at a screen all day can be challenging, and employees find that out the hard way with home offices. As the Martec Group found out in a survey of 1200+ employees across the country, a significant percentage of the respondents reported being mentally drained and increasingly stressed out because of remote working. 

Even though staring at a screen was one reason for this, the other was a sense of isolation. The survey found that most employees prefer an office environment as it allows them to feel connected with their colleagues and company. They are attending online meetings all day, coupled with loneliness while working is taking a severe toll on employees’ mental health.

• Fragmented Communication

Virtual meetings are only so useful. In a study by Twingate, employees reported attending 40% more meetings during remote working. That’s because the information isn’t being carried through as it would be in physical sessions. 

As a result, remote working is hampering employee productivity thanks to fragmented communication. This communication gap is costing companies precious resources to bridge. Employees have to work extra hard to ensure there are no lapses in communication in vital projects. 

• Distractions at Home

Having more time to spend with family is always a good thing. But the downside is that there’s no peace. For many employees, having their partner or kids around the house while they’re working is distracting. Also, home offices are a luxury not everyone can afford. In reality, many people have had to set up makeshift work stations around the house. 

With so many distractions, employees have to spend extra hours working to cover up for the lost time. This, in turn, adds to the stress and exhaustion of having to work from home. 

• Lower Job Satisfaction & Motivation

The result of all of the above is that most employees report lower job satisfaction and motivation levels. Several studies during the pandemic indicate that even though working remotely is suitable for some, others prefer to work from the office. 

These studies show that since employees have a more challenging time focusing on their jobs, lack proper working space, and are ill-equipped for virtual conferencing, it results in lower productivity and job satisfaction. Companies are now understanding the complete scope of the problem and addressing it through a variety of methods.

• Lack of Monitoring

In the pros section, we mentioned a greater level of job autonomy thanks to remote working. The other side of that coin is a lack of monitoring between management and employees. It’s important to understand that companies were severely unprepared for a complete shift to digital. 

Many did not have the digital infrastructure or extensive skill set to shift the workforce to a virtual workspace. As a result, managers are unequipped to implement proper monitoring of employees. This results in a vacuum in accountability. 

Conclusion

Remote working has its pros and cons. Companies’ success in the future will depend on how easily they can adapt to and advantage from remote working. The remote working system is an accurate reflection of what companies will experience in the world after COVID-19.