Remote workers driving business: the future of work

Remote work is certainly on the rise, and although working away from a corporate office has been a possibility for years, it is now becoming more mainstream.

In the past, if an employee was out of the office, there would be no way of contacting them. In emergencies, you’d have to provide a personal phone number, as emails, texts or instant-messages certainly weren’t about. Today, we are living in a totally different time in terms of communication, with videoconferencing,live feeds and real time contact all options to integrate out of office employees. So, why has it become so popular?

What are remote workers?

Remote work is a style of working where employees are not required to work in the traditional office environment, but instead, work can be done from remote locations such as at home. Instead of commuting to work everyday, workers are given the opportunity to work and execute projects from wherever they please. The idea of working remotely seems to centre around making the personal and professional life more connected, and pushing workers to their full potential. Some people work remotely full time or may work the majority of the week remotely and a few days in the office.

What are the benefits of being a remote worker?

Working remotely offers a lot of flexibility. They are restricted to set hours in the office which can inhibit other areas of life, such as looking after children. Being a remote worker offers freedom, as they can fit their work around other demands in their life to ensure their lives run slightly smoother alongside work. By cutting out the commute, workers save time and money, and work in an environment they feel more comfortable in. This is also likely to make them more motivated and inspired by their surroundings.

The health and wellness of remote workers is also thought to be much higher, with employees being noticeably less stressed and having a higher morale, meaning the benefits of remote working are almost as good as EPA fish oil! Being able to work in a comfortable environment and enjoy home comforts whilst working seriously boosts productivity.

For employers, the benefits are also great. Remote employees are likely to put in extra effort in their jobs, going above and beyond to match their work to employees in the office. You also save on costs, as expenses such as office space and furniture are decreased.

What are the negatives of being a remote worker?

There are a few downsides to this modern way of working. If you aren’t in the office, you risk being slightly isolated. You may not be quite as in tune with the rest of the employees who are all office based, and the monotony of being in the same environment for work and relaxation can take its toll. It is sometimes good to be able to distinguish between work and home. As there is this lack of differentiation, it can be hard to switch off. Although setting yourself working hours may be an idea that would seem to work, it would be tempting to just do ‘a little bit more’ and end up at your desk for two extra hours.

Why are companies resisting remote work?

Some companies simply aren’t built to support a partially remote team. Having a distributed workforce takes a lot of careful planning and consideration as it is a completely different dynamic. There are also security concerns surrounding remote working, with people suggesting that companies resistance to remote working has more to do with trust than productivity. When you don’t have a close knit team, it is perhaps harder to trust exactly what they’re doing. Although more and more companies are taking on remote workers, for some business models, it simply isn’t viable.