The Pros and Cons of Remote Working
Over the years, remote working has been a widely adopted workplace trend. Offering many benefits for both employees and employers, the idea of being able to work virtually and maintain responsibilities, while nurturing personal needs has led the movement.
However, traditional working styles of office-located roles are still out there, are still promoted, and are still favoured by many, down to the cons of remote working.
Understandably, personal preferences, home dynamics, a company’s structure, industry and services, and virtual strategies will all dictate the value of remote working.
However, throughout even greater adoption levels, down to stay-at-home messages and the need to self-isolate, all down to the ongoing pandemic, opinions around remote working are changing.
For some, working from home provides flexibility, a greater sense of independence, and it helps to save both time and money, helping to improve workplace enjoyment and engagement. Yet, for others, it’s seen as an obstacle, as an isolating experience and a hindrance to career development rates.
Down to a mixed response, here are the pros and cons of remote working, to help you decide whether working from home is for you/is suitable for your company.
The adoption of remote working
Remote working started to make its mark over recent years, down to a greater desire for flexible working policies. With work-life balance being a selling point for many jobseekers, the offering of remote working has become a consistent deal breaker, rather than a benefit. In fact, prior to March 2020, 1.54 million employed adults worked from home, showcasing the already adopted trend of remote working.
Yet, as the pandemic hit, adaptations have been required by many companies, with remote working, across the board being one of them. Recent research suggests that work-from-home adoption has now increased by 60%, where 23.9 million employees consistently maintain a remote working status.
As remote working is new to many employees, employers and industries, new opinions have developed; where for some, it’s become a new favourite, and for others, it is hindering work capabilities. Here’s the most recent take on the pros and cons of remote working, from employee/employer perspectives.
The pros and cons of remote working
Logically, some of the below pros and cons of work-from-home jobs may resonate with you, or not. It all depends on home dynamics, job responsibilities, on company approaches to remote working policies, and personal preferences/views on workplace benefits.
The pros
Flexibility
One selling point that makes remote working a sought-after option is the flexibility it offers. Commuting into an office and putting home life on hold, 5 days a week can be very tough. Through a work-from-home policy, greater flexibility in working times, breaks and even working days can be achieved.
Adaptability
Offering remote working as a company showcases adaptability. This is a significant pro, attracting many job seekers, and highlighting how job security can be maintained, even when the working environment must be adapted. Throughout the ongoing pandemic, the ability to adapt has helped many companies continue to operate.
Save time and money
For employees, remote working provides the benefit of saving time and money, as less time will be spent on a commute, while money will be saved through the likes of fuel and working lunches. The average commute time is currently 59 minutes, which spanned over a week. Home workers will save just under 5 hours. Understandably, costs of electricity, heating and internet access may increase by working from home. Yet, many companies offer a working-from-home allowance to cover those increased costs.
Increased trust and independence
One significant pro of remote working is that it communicates greater trust and independence. As an employee, having the opportunity to control your working day, having the independence to make decisions, and also knowing that you’re trusted for doing so can increase job satisfaction.
A healthier lifestyle
A healthier lifestyle is found in those who manage remote working with a sense of balance. Yet, this is only a pro for those who do manage to find a balance between work and life, which can be sustained with these remote working tips.
The cons
Productivity levels
While for some, productivity levels can increase through remote working, for those who live in a busy footfall home, productivity levels can be jeopardised through long-term remote working. From noise to distractions, to personal responsibilities, without a balance, home life can soon reduce workplace performance and output. This, for both employees and employers, is a significant con of remote working.
Work-from-home burnout
Working away from home provides structure and a schedule to follow. Yet, for those who work remotely, burnout risks are higher down to an overlap. Less structure is likely through remote working, which for some, provides controlled flexibility. Yet, for others, it has been known to increase burnout, down to working longer hours and struggles with switching off through blurred boundaries.
Technology issues
Technology issues are inevitable whether you’re working in-house or remotely. Yet, through remote working, resolving those problems can be harder and take much longer, disrupting daily operations. For example, recent research shares how 1 in 10 employees experience video hacking, which is greater than in-office experiences, down to better cyber security.
Reduced engagement
A common con of work-from-home jobs is the feelings of isolation and loneliness they can influence, where 30.9%of workers, in fact, previously noted feeling lonely through virtual communication. Engagement levels can reduce if uncontrolled, causing problems for both employees and employers. Through the current times, loneliness rates are already heightened, and remote working is at risk of increasing those rates.
Limited development opportunities
Down to a lack of in-house training, limited development opportunities can be the case, which can result in a reduced level of job satisfaction. Not only can this be frustrating for employees, but also a risk for employers when considering staff retention.
We’re currently living in a time where remote working is a necessity for many businesses and industries. Yet, down to personal preference, it will be interesting to see how the stats change, based on company demands, success through remote working, and employee engagement levels.
The pros and cons of remote working indicate how it can work for some, but not for others. Do you enjoy remote working, or believe that you can maintain a work-from-home role/workforce?
If you’re looking for a remote Rec2Rec role or workforce, we at Amanda Wright Recruitment can guide you in the right direction. Contact our team today to make use of the virtual working world we currently operate within.
Sources:
https://www.finder.com/uk/working-from-home-statistics
https://www.themuse.com/advice/separating-work-from-life-3-habits-for-remote-workers
https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryanrobinson/2020/06/19/is-working-remote-a-blessing-or-burden-weighing-the-pros-and-cons/?sh=709803f940a9