A decade ago, remote work used to be uncommon. It was typically offered as a special arrangement to support families in particular instances while working from home. Nevertheless, advancements in teleconferencing and telework technology have led to the success of certain businesses that operate entirely with remote teams.
The mass shift to remote work occurred during the initial phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. Besides the aim of preventing the spread of illness which affects productivity, remote work has demonstrated various advantages.
Given that working from home is here to stay, it is crucial to understand how to maximize the benefits of remote communication technology. It is worth noting that with the appropriate tools, your team can be just as productive, if not more, while working remotely. Keep reading for a comprehensive overview of the history, current situation, and future prospects of remote work.
Small but tangible benefits
Telecommuting is often seen as a benefit by numerous employees, as over 50% of them pursue this arrangement in order to enhance their work-life balance. They opt to work remotely to avoid commuting daily, minimize disruptions in the workplace, and fulfill familial caretaking duties, as stated in the Owl Labs State of Remote Work in 2017. Additionally, certain organizations may mandate their staff to work from home, such as when a branch office is closed.
According to Ravi Gajendran, PhD, an assistant professor at Florida International University, certain jobs are more suitable for remote work than others. Knowledge workers, like computer programmers, who can complete a majority of their tasks on a laptop such as creating software code, reports, or spreadsheets, as well as individuals whose productivity can be easily monitored, like insurance claims adjusters or call center workers, are the most inclined to telecommute.
In a Journal of Business and Psychology study conducted by Gajendran and Golden, it was discovered that teleworkers from various departments, including sales, marketing, accounting, and engineering, performed better when working remotely instead of in the office if their jobs were highly complex but didn’t involve excessive collaboration or social support. The study included 273 participants from one organization (Vol. 34, No. 1, 2019).
“It can be challenging for employees whose jobs involve concentration or substantial problem-solving to have dedicated time to deeply contemplate the task at hand within a shared office space filled with potential interruptions,” states Golden.
According to Golden, even within the same job, certain tasks can be effectively done remotely, while others are more suitable for in-person execution. For instance, writing reports or articles can be accomplished from a home office, but tasks that require interpersonal sensitivity and nonverbal communication, such as conducting a quarterly performance review with a subordinate, usually yield better results when conducted face to face.
Gajendran says that telecommuting does not necessarily have a positive or negative outcome, but rather its advantages and disadvantages vary depending on the circumstances.
Is remote working effective?
Ten years ago, the majority of employers would have been hesitant about the notion of employees frequently working from their homes. Employers were mainly concerned that remote work would lead to a decrease in productivity. However, the pandemic demonstrated that employees were capable of working independently. Prodoscore, for instance, revealed that productivity among remote workers saw a 47 percent increase during the March and April 2020 lockdown. They discovered that communication activities, including emailing (up 57 percent), telephoning (up 230 percent), and chat messaging (up 9 percent), all experienced significant growth.
Studies conducted recently reveal that job satisfaction is increased by remote work options. According to Buffer’s 2023 State of Remote Work report, 91 percent of respondents in a survey expressed their enjoyment of working remotely, with flexibility being stated as the most significant advantage. Furthermore, in 2022, McKinsey surveyed 25,000 individuals from various industries regarding their experience with remote work. As per the study, the pursuit of flexible work environments is the third primary reason why individuals look for new jobs, with better pay/hours and career opportunities being the other two reasons. The significance of remote work for employees is demonstrated by the fact that 87 percent of respondents stated that if given the opportunity, they would choose to work remotely.
Working remotely is ultimately effective, although it needs to be implemented correctly and may not suit every employee or business equally well.
Social support for teleworkers
Recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that despite the generally positive results regarding the advantages of telecommuting, only a small percentage of American companies (7%) provide this option to the majority or all of their employees. Notably, companies that were early adopters of telecommuting, such as Best Buy, IBM, and Yahoo, are now going back on their policies due to leadership changes and a perceived requirement for enhanced creative collaboration.
Company leaders are often hesitant about implementing flexible work arrangements because they fear that performance may decline without close employee monitoring.
Jeanne Wilson, PhD, a professor of organizational behavior at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, explains that managers often utilize busyness, working late, or other proxies to assume an employee’s effectiveness. However, in a remote work scenario, managers have to increasingly depend on actual outcomes, which can be a difficult adjustment for many individuals.
Some organizations are successfully using research insights to establish remote work programs that are based on evidence, and are seeing positive outcomes. For instance, Aetna, a healthcare company, has had a remote work program for ten years. This program involves screening, training, and providing support to teleworkers, who currently represent about half of the company’s employees. Aetna has worked together with psychologists from Cornell University, including Bell, to address issues such as employee isolation in a proactive manner. As a result, the company has experienced benefits such as decreased real estate expenses and improved ability to retain talented employees.
The current state of remote work
Teleworking has become a widely accepted practice in many offices, both in the U.S. and globally, due to advancements in communication technology and internet access. It is important to note that this form of work is not necessarily confined to home settings, as remote workers often choose to work from coffee shops or coworking spaces, and some even continue their careers while travelling across the world.
Stacey Epstein, chief marketing officer at Freshworks, mentioned that the contemporary workforce is characterized by being mobile, collaborative, and dynamic. Additionally, it consists of individuals from multiple generations, each having their own communication preferences. Epstein emphasized that these workers belong to diverse industries, all of whom present distinct challenges related to maintaining connectivity during work.
Despite various reasons, many companies still resist this work trend. Some business owners are afraid of reduced productivity in their employees, while others have not invested in teleconferencing and telework technologies to support remote workers. However, there are still some businesses that are making the required investments to facilitate remote work.
According to Buffer’s 2023 report, the majority of companies covered expenses including hardware, office equipment, and supplies. Hardware was provided by 64 percent of respondents, while items like a desk and chair were offered by 40 percent. Additionally, 28 percent of remote employees received internet service.
This is slightly better than Buffer’s report from 2019, where 75 percent of respondents stated that their employers would not cover the cost of internet service. As the workforce’s desire and expectation to work remotely continue to increase each year, companies might be more inclined to endorse policies that support remote work.
It can also be a win-win situation for companies to adopt a remote working policy as it can save money by eliminating the requirement for costly office space (or satellite offices). Additionally, this policy grants employees the flexibility to set their own schedules and work from any preferred location.
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