The Virtual Work Setup: Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Having a flexible work schedule
- Huge reduction in commuting time
- The evolvement of solutions to communication challenges
Cons:
- Deterioration of human connection
- Decreased attention span
- The expenses and functionality of gadgets within the budget range
MORE IDEAS FROM THE ARTICLE
Technology + Anxiety = Techziety
- As time passes by, technology has been evolving continuously and many among the older generation are experiencing anxiety with technology.
- We have turned to social media apps to connect with our friends and family and due to certain situations, even businesses and learning have all turned online using Zoom, Facebook, and other variants, thus began the Virtual Revolution.
With the upsurge of the virtual world, we tend to often worry whether we'll be able to connect to the meeting, gadget malfunction, or if you will be able to integrate the message you want to send through a virtual meeting.
If you're experiencing this, try these:
- Have a back up plan ready. If you have a presentation, print out your report or send everyone a copy in advance;
- Invest in technology, it will be worth it;
- Allow yourself to rest; and
- Remember that it's not the end of the world.
RELATED IDEAS
Bonding with colleagues in the real world is easy. It the virtual world, the tools we have available are video conferences, group messages, and email - all cold forms of communication.
Despite the challenges associated with online tool, there are simple rules we can use the make colleagues and clients like us.
- Video calls require more focus than face-to-face chatting. We have to pay more attention to process the non-verbal cues like tone, pitch, body language and facial expressions. There is also a feeling of dissonance when the minds are together but the bodies are physically apart.
- One finds it harder to relax in a conversation, as even a slight delay (silence) makes us feel that the other person is not friendly or focused enough.
Just being invited to the party is not enough. Many companies inadvertently make remote employees feel like second-class citizens. When organizing company events, they do not consider the logistical problems their remote employees face, such as plane tickets and hotel costs.
Some companies who do remember to host remote workers do not always include them properly. Videoconferencing means virtual employees can watch everyone having a good time, but they can't participate and will still feel excluded.