07 Nov Remote working: pros and cons of a new era
Remote working has been on the rise since the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020. According to a report, 30% of workers in the United Kingdom are remotely working at least once a week. We hear a lot of different opinions about this new way of working, but what are the real pros and cons?
Pros of home working
It saves money and time
If you do not have to commute, some employees may start work earlier as they are not spending the time sitting in traffic, as well as money on fuel. Regarding the company, it might help reduce costs on the office spaces that are not being used, the maintenance costs, and even travel expenses for employees to go to meetings, as it can be replaced by a Zoom call.
Increases productivity
Working at home can increase your productivity and you might find yourself finishing work quicker than usual, as you are likely to spend less time engaging in conversations in the office and be fully focused on your task, making you more efficient and quicker to finish. According to a survey, ‘77% of those who work remotely at least a few times per month show increased productivity, with 30% doing more work in less time and 24% doing more work in the same period.’
Better work-balance
Because you spend less time commuting and are more productive, you will likely have more time to spend with your loved ones. Having more time can also help you have a healthier balance between work and your activities. This can allow you to have more down time, and better or for example, allow you to exercise more often or focus on your mental health. Reminder for your company: if your employees are happier, they will be much more proactive!
Allows you to hire more suitable talent
If you are hiring for your company, having more freedom over where your talent is based means it opens up a greater pool of talent. More and more people are looking for a remote role.
Cons of remote working
It reduces the team communication
It might be harder to communicate with another worker and to organise projects that require several people to be involved. Having a brief meeting in a room face to face is much easier as everyone can come together and share their ideas. Online communication can make building a team unit quite hard as you are unable to properly read people’s body language which is really important especially if a person is upset or struggling with something.
Social isolation
This is one of the biggest cons that we have seen appear during the lockdowns. Social isolation can lead to more anxiety or depression. Over 30% of British remote workers have reported an increased feeling of loneliness and isolation.
You need to be autonomous
To stay on top of your tasks, remote working will require you to be able to work by yourself, organise your time, prioritise tasks, and communicate with your colleagues when you need some help or delegate something. Another hardship could be if you have to adapt to some new software to work remotely. Understanding them can be a bit tricky so do not hesitate to talk to your employer about it and maybe request some help or training.
If you are interested in flexible ways of working, we work with a variety of Clients that offer hybrid jobs and work hard to create a happy and engaging culture for their workforce, check out our website to discover all our job offers!