How do Employees and Companies Feel About Working Remotely?

The year 2020 started with the Coronavirus pandemic shifting the way the world operates. With the pandemic hitting every nation, people had to stay indoors to contain the virus’s spread. Thus, companies had to close their workplaces and move to remote working cultures.

But even after two years, remote working has become the post-pandemic culture in many companies. Just like wearing masks, hand sanitizing, and social distancing, the remote working culture has also been added to the new normal list.

Consequently, many companies are still continuing remote working, allowing their employees to work from home. Apart from a few industries like healthcare, almost all people from most sectors, including information technology, marketing, finance, accounting, etc made the remote working transition seamlessly.

So, now with millions of people working from home, how do employees and companies feel about working remotely?

Top Benefits of Remote Working for Employees:

Employees prefer to work from home for various reasons. But, here are some top benefits they get to enjoy with remote working.

Flexible Schedule:

Of course, everyone values freedom of choice. A flexible schedule, working in sweatpants, working from anywhere, and no more commuting are some top benefits that everyone enjoys with remote working. Most employees say a flexible schedule is the first reason to work remotely. No, most often, that did not affect productivity. Ultimately, happy employees bring the best to the table. The same theory works here. Remote employees were more productive or as productive as in-office, but nothing less, as many employers mistook.

Make the most of the day:

Most often, no one is busy working the entire eight to nine hours in the office. At least, not daily. But, in the office, employees are expected to sit in one place even if they don’t have work. But that is not the case when working from home. Of course, you have to finish your work, but there is less micromanaging. Employees can manage their own time and work when they are most productive. That, in turn, can improve the overall mental health of the employees.

Work-Life Balance:

With remote working, people don’t have to get up early in the morning, drive in the traffic, and rush to the office on time. Thus, they will have more time to spend on their personal interests like taking up a fitness class, a hobby, or spending time with the family. Nevertheless, working from home helps you strike a perfect work-life balance when you manage your time well.

Top Benefits of Remote Working for Companies:

Remote working not just benefits employees but also employers. Sounds exciting? Read on.

Hire Ideal Talents:

When you hire for an in-house position, you target people living in that city. Thus, you are limiting the possibility of hiring qualified candidates living elsewhere. But, when you offer work from home, you attract hordes of talented people living outside the major cities. In short, you are broadening the horizon by providing remote positions. Plus, that also makes recruiting easier.

Cut Office Infrastructure Costs:

Many corporate giants have agreed that they were able to cut infrastructure costs by offering remote positions to their employees. With the rental rates skyrocketing, employers can rent smaller spaces by providing remote working options to 50% of their employees. Plus, you can add fewer utility bills, reduced beverages cost, and a lot more to the list.

Better Employee Retention:

Often people quit their jobs due to many other things that happen in their personal lives. Things demand their attention, and they eventually resign from work and switch organizations that better suit their needs. When you offer work from home, employees rarely quit as they have the freedom to manage their time and have the privilege of being there for their families.

Struggles of Remote Working for Employees:

Working from home is not all roses. It has its fair share of struggles. Here are some:

Unplugging after Work:

While working in the office, employees have defined working space and office hours. They get to do their meetings and complete their work within that time. However, while working from home, employees may often work even after office hours. Video conferences that last long hours, fixing issues late at night, employees may dwell on work, forgetting their personal lives. Employees need to practice self-discipline, manage their time, and be a self-starter when working remotely. Else they may fall into the trap of working endlessly for long hours.

Boredom due to monotonous work routine:

Employees may feel disconnected from their colleagues and miss the office atmosphere. That random office chats, cracking jokes, and quick catch-ups are a definite miss while working from home. Moreover, employees may get bored at times due to the monotonous work routine. They work and live in the same place without much interaction with their colleagues. That may call for an unexciting and boring routine for some.

Struggles of Remote Working for Companies:

Here are some potential drawbacks that companies face with remote working:

Difficulty Monitoring Performance:

When employees work in the office, managers get to monitor them often. Moreover, employers know the employees’ personalities as they work with them in person. That will help them better delegate the tasks. But, with remote working, managers rarely understand the employee’s nature and their degree of positivity. Coordinating, managing, and reviewing remote employees’ performance can be challenging for some employers. But, with technology and tools available today, employers can conduct virtual meetings often to assess the employee’s performance periodically.

Information Security Risk:

Information security risks are more prone when employees access servers remotely. Employers have to take measures by protecting their company data and installing encryption software and remote-wipe apps if the devices go missing. Virtual private networks can also encrypt your data and provide secure access to a remote computer via the internet. Thus, your employees can access files and data securely.

Wrapping Up:

After the lockdown, people preferring to work from home has almost doubled. Employees say they prefer employers who provide location flexibility. Thus, employers need to adapt to this remote working culture to attract a pool of rich talents. Who knows, remote working culture may be the reality in the future? Perhaps if your industry has challenges providing a fully remote working option, you may consider a hybrid working model. That way, employees and employers can make the best of both worlds!! What’s your say on this?