Going all-in on remote work: benefits for businesses
Remote work can be costly or cost-saving, depending on how well-equipped you are to really support it.
When done right, assessing the appropriateness of remote work for all your employees and implementing the necessary changes will save money.
Savings will be primarily in overhead categories: rent, utilities, facility upkeep costs, in-person IT labor, satellite office networking costs, maintenance, property insurance, etc.
The point to aim for is where the investment will bear return. Setting up employees for remote work might initially be higher, but can be balanced out by not paying for expensive desk space.
Remote workers may enjoy more flexibility, which may translate into increased productivity.
Remote work isn't new; it's just growing in popularity thanks to technology and the exposure to hashtags like #DigitalNomad and #WorkFromAnywhere on social media. Remote workers weren't born overnight when the internet was first created in the 1980s. Working remotely was the norm long before downtown offices and commuting even existed.
Before the Industrial revolution, everyone worked out of their home and sold their goods from there. With the Industrial Revolution came the need for automation and factories, and employ...
Just after WW2, there was a rise in corporate headquarters and larger office spaces and cubicles. During this time, the 8-hour workday was established.
Then came the advancements in computers and technology that lead to remote workers of today. The internet and public WiFi allowed employees to do everything they would in their cubicle, but outside the office. They can also work all hours of the day.
4.3 million people currently work from home in the United States at least half of the time, and this figure has grown by 150% in the last 13 years.
Remote workers tend to have higher engagement rates and higher productivity levels. Once they switch to remote work, they rarely want to become office bound again.
Companies that fail at remote work focus too much on technology and too little on the process. Successful remote work is based on clear processes that support three core principles.
It can be difficult to explain complex ideas. The lack of face-to-face interaction limits social cues, which may lead to misunderstandings and conflict.
To avoid miscues and misinterpretation, match the message with the medium. Videoconferencing is the next best tool to talking face-to-face. Small, non-urgent requests are best suited to e-mail, instant messaging, or all-in-one platforms like Slack.
Frequency of communication matters. Provide regular updates, respond to messages promptly, be available at important times.
Remote workers should be working in harmony, but people often don't know what others are doing and how everything fits together.
Create formal processes that simulate the informal way; for example, stopping by a colleague's desk or eating lunch together. These interactions serve as course corrections.
Managers should clearly articulate the mission, assign roles and responsibilities, create detailed project plans, establish performance metrics. They should also document all that and make it available offsite.
Managers should model and enforce the processes until they are completely incorporated.
Uncovering and explaining how our digital world is changing - and changing us. If and when you return to your office after the novel coronavirus pandemic, you'll probably notice some differences. Upon entering your building, the doors may open automatically so you don't have to touch the handles.
Before the pandemic, only 4 percent of the US workforce worked from home at least half the time. However, the trend of working from home had been gaining momentum for years.
It is estimated that within a couple of years, 30% of people will work from home multiple days per week.
Before the pandemic, a lot of company management and leaders were skeptical regarding remote work. But the skepticism will go away because companies recognize that remote work does work.
The economic impact of the pandemic will likely force employers to cut costs. They may reduce their rent by letting workers work from home instead of layoffs.
Employers had to spend money on new technology and equipment to work from home - a departure from the norm.
Employees themselves are also spending more money to create better home offices.