Do you remember the COVID-19 era?
When we recall the year 2019, only hurtful memories strike our mind, i.e., the quarantine period in which our lives stuck only in the house premises and immense life losses of human beings in these years. But have you all ever pondered the shift that occurs in the world after a pandemic?
If not, then let me remind you.
COVID-19 shows us the importance of the internet and its implementation in our daily lives. Students attend school from their homes, people work from home, purchase things from online stores, and in true meaning, the world has become a global village. We are all destined to live in our houses, still connected to the outside world.
After the COVID-19 shift occurs in the work scenario, the 9 to 5 office routine is replaced by flexible working hours, and employees carry out their work outside of the traditional office setting, most probably at their house. Meetings, collaboration, discussion, and dealings are all done through an online platform, leading to the improvisation of remote work in the company. In this article, we will discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the telework system.
Strengths of Remote Work
- Flexibility and Work-Life Balance:
We have all heard that a 9-to-5 job will eat away your personal space. It is true, though, because these timings are inflexible; there is no compromise on timing, whether it suits you or not.
But remote work is different; you will determine your working hours. A zone in which you are more productive, creative, and innovative. Flexibility in work time ensures more work-life balance as a person can effectively manage their family time, personal preferences, and commitments. A better work-life balance means a more satisfied life and improved mental and physical health.
Happy you means a happy family.
According to a survey conducted by Flex Jobs, 80% of respondents reported higher morale when working remotely due to the flexibility it afforded them.
- Access to a Global Talent Pool:
The more you interact with people, the more you will learn. Remote work broadens the person’s horizons as his mind is not restricted to a specific location. Employers can seek professional skills from anyone around the globe.
Along with employers, remote work allows the company to grow exponentially around the world. A company can hire a person according to its professional requirements without any boundary concerns. It allows the company to increase its market value by achieving 24/7 working criteria; people from different time zones can work collaboratively to attain it. It is also cost-effective, as one can hire a professionally skilled person from a country with low wages.
- Cost savings for employers and employees:
Global Workplace Analytics estimates that a typical employer can save around $11,000 per half-time telecommuter per year.
If you are wondering, how is it possible? Then let me explain: no more transportation or food charges, No hustle of buying clothes for important meetings and get-togethers; no more investment in company regular celebrations like annual dinners, etc. Thus, remote jobs cut our expenses in half, and we can utilize this money to fulfill our personal and family needs.
Remote work not only facilitates employees but has also proven effective for employers. It allows companies to save money by avoiding building huge offices and buying necessary furniture’s and utilities for it. They only need to pay the regular salary of their employer; rest is not their problem.
- Increased Productivity:
We often ask others, Are you a morning person or a night owl? What does it mean? It explains the time in which a person’s productivity is 100%. A set period of time where a person can finish his assigned task in a shorter time interval with better efficiency. Remote work allows the person to choose their productive time zone. Along with that, it allows a person to have a personalized work environment; he will design his office according to his own aesthetics.
Thus, your choice of space, along with your preferred set time, guaranteed a positive and wonderful outcome. A study published in the Quarterly Journal of Economics in which they found that the productivity of a call center increased by 13% when employees were allowed to work from home.
Weaknesses of Remote Work
- Isolation and Lack of Collaboration:
Though remote work allows online meetups with group mates, face-to-face interaction still holds its own value. Harvard Business Review highlights that remote workers often feel left out and struggle with the lack of informal communication. As the communication gap is filled with silly talks and celebrations held at company premises.
In remote work, communication is done through email, text messages, and video calls, and it can lead to huge conflict and dispute among team members as the view and context of responses can be misinterpreted easily in online meetings. Thus, remote work, on the one hand, can ascend the company while also having the potential to dismantle the company thoroughly.
- Technological Challenges:
Remote work may sound easy, but the technicality in this field is on the next level. A small glitch in the software has the potential to disrupt the whole workflow. Also, the internet connection problem during the meeting can halt you from getting a million-dollar deal. The 2021 State of Remote Work report by Buffer revealed that technical issues are the second most common struggle reported by remote workers.
Thus, remote work is easy, but advancement in method requires great effort along with strict supervision.
- Difficulty in Maintaining Work-Life Boundaries:
While working from home, a person is more prone to not maintaining a clear boundary between personal life and professional life. Lack of physical difference between home and work makes it challenging for individuals to switch off their professional mode, leading to burnout. Disruption in work-life balance means a severe mental and physical health crisis, which will adversely affect your working potential.
Some people overcome this solution by designating a separate room in their home for office work, but the potential for overwork remains there all the time. Also, it may lead to the development of a habit of procrastination among workers as daily office visits remind them about their monthly targets assigned by their company.
- Security and confidentiality concerns:
Cybersecurity Ventures predicts that global cybercrime costs will reach $6 trillion annually by 2021, highlighting the increasing importance of robust security measures. In a remote work system, a company’s information is scattered around the globe. A person can misuse any information provided to them, and it poses a potential security risk to the company. Thus, in remote work, companies pay special attention to security checks while handling sensitive information because the slightest mistake can lead to irreversible damage to the company’s reputation.
Conclusion:
Remote work, though it empowers organization and employment, also poses problems that require thoughtful solutions. In remote work, you play with fire, handle it carefully, and become the talk of the room; otherwise, this fire can burn you as well.
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