Remote working is a relatively new phenomenon that has recently taken over the globe since the onset of the recent pandemic. Lots of people are now remote working to keep the person-to-person contact at a minimum level.
- Definition
Remote working is where their boss or manager permits an employee to work outside of a corporate office. This can be either permanent or temporary and can be for people that work either part or full time. Some workplaces will balance remote working and office working and have their employees alternate between the two.
- Benefits
There are many benefits to remote working, the most obvious one, due to current affairs, is having minimal contact with other people. Due to the recent pandemic, it is always a positive to have less human-to-human contact.
A benefit from the employers’ perspective is that staffing costs and office overhead costs are vastly reduced; they save both money and office space by promoting staff to remote work.
Remote working can help increase productivity as you are on your own. You know that you are liable for your own motivation levels; you can’t simply depend on somebody else to motivate you.
A further benefit of remote working is that you get to eradicate commuting altogether, no more long tiresome journeys to work, and getting stuck in the traffic. Not only is this great news for you as it saves you time and money, but it is also good for the environment.
Another great aspect of remote working is flexibility; your hours are more flexible and allow you to work around daily life. It is still important to meet deadlines, but you can work around any appointments you have, around childcare, or around other part-time jobs, you might have.
- Disadvantages
There are also some disadvantages to remote working; remote working can cause a person to feel isolated. Not having the social interactions that you have in the office can quickly lead to a person feeling isolated and lonely; this can, in turn, cause mental health problems.
Remote working can lead to working longer hours; when you would usually leave the office and switch off, you are no longer distinguished. When the home is your office, it can be hard to switch off from work as it’s so easy to send “Just one more email.”
Remote working can lead to you working slower; working from home makes being distracted far easier. You can think you will wash the dishes quickly or pop a load of washing in, but before you know it, you have lost an hour of your time, and the work still needs doing.
Another disadvantage of remote working is the difference in location, posing a strain on the team; it can be hard to wait for immediate responses from people if you need an answer urgently. You can’t simply walk into the next room and ask them.
