Remote Work: The Pros and Cons for Employers. Here are the pros and cons of working remotely to review. Workers can sometimes work when they want as well. Pro: Remote workers have flexibility in their schedules. Remote work or “ working from home ” is often touted as the “ future of work”. I’ve worked from cafes, restaurants, hotel lobbies, parks, airports, beaches, and even on vacation (I would probably … Once the need to balance full-time work with changing diapers, making formula, fixing lunches, and managing the daily schedule come together, it seems like there is never enough time to get things done. That said, why not give it a try? Advantages of Remote Working. If the best candidates … That said, even with the right tools, there’s still the chance that a remote worker might miss out on the impromptu discussions, important whiteboarding sessions, and informal chats that an office makes possible. • All it takes is a 2.8-second interruption to double the error rate in the work of an employee. Working from home and remote locations is a growing trend. Remote working is a great benefit to candidates, making the job appeal to a bigger, better talent pool. Many people have successfully transitioned from a traditional to virtual office. And employers are increasingly offering their people the opportunity to get work done outside of the office. Video conferencing, screen-sharing, intranets, and chat apps have made it possible for people to work from home, in coffee shops or in co-working spaces, which enables collaboration across continents and time zones. Depending on your job, this may or may not be a pro or con. The ability to work remotely makes this an enticing offer to top performers who may not want to move to Utah (no offense, Utah!). From Disabled and $500k in Debt to a Pro Blogger with 5 Million Monthly Visitors, 15 Telecommuting Advantages and Disadvantages, 21 Pros and Cons of Employees Working from Home, 18 Pros and Cons of Flexible Work Arrangements, 12 Hot Desking Advantages and Disadvantages, "From Disabled and $500k in Debt to a Pro Blogger with 5 Million Monthly Visitors. Only a direct inspection of each home office and potential community gathering point would give an organization this information. LawDepot on June 22, 2020. Find out more at www.jostle.me. And that’s why giving your people the opportunity to choose where they work from, even if it’s just once a week, can go a long way towards creating more efficient, engaged, and happier employees. The Pros and Cons of Working Remotely. Work from anywhere and anytime. That issue creates higher premium costs of for some insurance premiums, which is why independent contractors or freelancers are utilized instead of a traditional employee. Additionally, 80% reported a better work-life balance. Some jobs offer an additional layer of flexibility with time management. But for sure you have to know what determines your decision. Saturday, June 20th is World Productivity Day.What better time to weigh the pros and cons of … Like any other new approach, though, there are pros and cons. Remote working is an amazing lifestyle choice, but the picture painted above is not reality, these are the worst places to work. Distractions are everywhere today. By offering this option, key personnel can stay in their positions and still contribute to the desired end results. But in order to reduce turnover, your organization first needs to find out the root cause. If you’re working the 9-to-5 and you want to quit to work remotely as a freelancer or entrepreneur, then here is a selection of the pros and cons of remote work. The Gallup Wellbeing Index reports that working remotely creates more stress when compared to other workers. That’s why SHRM notes that 30% of employees who work remotely and repot to an office say that being at home makes them more productive over an eight-hour shift. However, with everything, there are pros and cons. Employees who work remotely will save time on their commute, redefine their work schedules for maximum productivity, and add some much needed flexibility to their workday—flexibility that enables them to attend appointments, receive deliveries, cook healthy meals, exercise, and spend more time with their families. But for others, working in a busy office is a great way to meet new people and make friends. But with most big changes in the way we work, there are always going to be a few holdouts. This will help them to adhere to the social distancing rules that are implemented along with the global pandemic. According to information published by Training, there are some incredible statistics about interruptions that happen in the average workplace. Working remotely gives you access to more workers with this mindset. When the benefits of working at home (or at a preferred location) are realized by the employee, they become motivated to maintain that structure. Although there are some potential issues with communication and collaboration, the evolution of Cloud-based computing, combined with the affordable nature of modern technology, makes it possible for more businesses and workers to embrace this relationship than ever before. Veterans who have worked remotely for years are often misjudged as being entrepreneurs because there is one quality both have in common: the need to find proactive solutions. Clearly, remote work has caught on big. When those workers are added to the total, over 40% of the current U.S. workforce works remotely in some way on a regular basis. Going without any of these basic tech tools will make things a lot more difficult for you and the people you work with. This also reduces the costs of transportation and is as a whole, very convenient. Humans are social creatures. Plus, you get to work from anywhere. You buy your own snacks at the store instead of the vending machine. You’ll save money in other ways too when working remotely. Even if ideas aren’t blossoming from this structure, workers and employers find that it promotes highly productive work. • The average employee works a total of 11 minutes before they’re interrupted in their work. Although binge-watching your favorite shows on Netflix instead of working will likely get you fired from this position, the same is true for any other workspace too. The worker can set their own schedule, work on their own time, and can juggle both work and personal life with great ease. In 2016, 43 percent of employed Americans said they spent at least some time working remotely, according to a Gallup survey. Pros and Cons of Working Remotely. If an organization decides to allow remote workers, then they can hire the superstar they found on the other side of the country instead of settling for someone who is local. Studies have shown that working in an environment where you feel at ease, comfortable, relaxed, and more focused will lead to better results, increased productivity, greater job satisfaction, and less stress. Employees gain the convenience of working where they want to be instead of commuting to a cubicle or shared working space. For newly minted remote workers who are suddenly faced with more opportunities to be distracted, finding the self-discipline and accountability to stay in ‘work mode’ may turn out to be a challenge. And this is the key takeaway: allowing staff to work remotely is perhaps one of the biggest and most valuable gestures an employer can make to increase the work-life balance of their employees. It’s worthwhile, then, to honestly consider both the pros and cons of remote work before deciding whether or not it’s right for you. My days are flexible. Let’s start off with the benefits of working from a location other than the office. Many people would say that their best friends are the people they got to know while working full-time at the office. If something happens to you while you’re working, no matter what the reason might be, then this coverage allows you to pursue medical care or receive financial assistance while looking for a new position. There are data access protections which must be funded when allowing employees to work from home. Pro: No daily commute. Remote work does have its share of problems.Some people dislike working in the same place where they live and relax, and it can be difficult to create and … From the employee's perspective, the most obvious advantage is the sheer freedom and comfort one can enjoy while working from home. ", Spotify SWOT Analysis for 2021: 26 Strengths and Weaknesses, Uber SWOT Analysis for 2021: 23 Major Strengths and Weaknesses, Netflix SWOT Analysis (2021): 23 Biggest Strengths and Weaknesses, Tesla SWOT Analysis (2021): 33 Biggest Strengths and Weaknesses, 14 Core Values of Amazon: Its Mission and Vision Statement, Is AliExpress Legit and Safe: 15 Tips for Buyers, How Does Zoom Make Money: Business Model Explained, A Look at Southwest Airlines Mission Statement: 10 Key Takeaways, Apple’s Mission Statement and Vision Statement Explained, How Does WhatsApp Make Money: Business Model & Revenue Explained. For me, the pros far outweigh the cons of working remotely. Even if guidelines were offered to each worker with mandates to follow specific requirements, there are few ways to guarantee that they’re implemented by each worker. Working remotely, whether it’s from the comfort of your own home or at the local coffee shop, can save employees a significant amount of money that might otherwise be spent on commuting, eating expensive lunches, and more. Working remotely depends almost entirely on having the right tools for the job. Part of that discipline involves the courage to make decisions independently. Pro: Remote workers feel less stressed and more focused. Remote work is more popular than ever, but some organizations remain skeptical. This one’s hugely important to the overall health of organizations. If you’re working from home, but maybe not being as productive as you think you could be, this article by John Rampton might help. If you’re working remotely, then this money goes directly to your checking account instead of the local fuel station. That figure has doubled since 2005. The same goes for working from a tropical beach in the Caribbean or at your favorite co-working space downtown, or at the local library. Home » Pros and Cons » 21 Pros and Cons of Working Remotely. Workers begin setting their time based on deadlines and schedule demands, sometimes losing track of what day it happens to be. From Slack to Pages to Google Docs, remote teams get work done faster than ever before because the world has become the new office place. Con: It's challenging to build a remote company culture. Fewer sick days and leave time place less financial pressure on the bottom line of the organization too. A new study from Harvard Business School says geographic flexibility can save money for businesses and staffers. For example, a person who normally drives to work could save up to $160 every month by working remotely, thanks to the savings generated by … Parents might have their kids tapping on their shoulders or neighbors knocking on their doors, but these interruptions are usually less frequent than the co-worker wanting to get paid for talking about the football game they saw the night before. Telecommuting is an integral part of American work culture. If you’ve ever freelanced, you understand this well. Working remotely encourages workplace strength because it maintains high levels of motivation within each worker. Remote Work Pros. Since that’s the median, there are some workers who pay a lot more than that. While in recent years offices have undoubtedly become more amenable to the way people like to work, the office environment may not deliver the best working environment for all employees. Pros And Cons Of Remote Working. Cutting turnover saves money, keeps up morale, and frees up hiring resources. Although there are some potential issues with communication and collaboration, the evolution of Cloud-based computing, combined with the affordable nature of modern technology, … The best part about working remotely is that you get to work from anywhere. That means the majority of office workers have at least tried working remotely. This issue goes away when it is the worker, not the organization, responsible for following safety and security rules. Want to hire that senior software developer in California, but your office is in Utah? Workers might have access to superior technologies today for remote work, but it doesn’t mean they’re free of maintenance needs for those items. Remote working is the new norm of getting things done. Pro: People who work from home have a better work-life balance. Whether it’s unloading the dishwasher or laundry, I’m easily able to keep up with house tasks. Americans move more often than most developed nations. Workers who have permission to work remotely are more likely to stay productive, even if they feel under the weather, because they have immediate access to the tools needed to work. You can work productively on a team which is fully remote, replicating the traditional workplace, but it cannot replace a brainstorming session that happens spontaneously when people talk together. Firstly, let’s take a look at some of the pros… 1. If she felt so strongly on the topic to make such a drastic move, it must surely be worth exploring the pros and the cons of remote employment. Think about some of those basic points, both positive and negative, to decide if working remotely is the best choice for you. Let’s break down a few of the advantages: 1. efficient, engaged, and happier employees. If your company factors that in when it sets up its lease, that’s money saved on space (rental costs, desks and chairs, etc. It … Workers get to choose if they want to work from their home office, the local coffee shop, or even down at the beach. Having more time at home creates fewer personal life stressors too, which reduces the need to take sick leave or vacation time. And when you put people together, great collaboration can take … Last Updated 27 Sep, 2020 John Price In 2018, it was reported that 3.9 million Americans are now working remotely for half the week or more. A new study from Harvard Business School says geographic flexibility can save money for businesses and staffers. CONS 1. That’s because employees start accessing internal networks from a variety of external locations. Several popular spots for remote workers to congregate, like a coffee shop or a library, do not offer the same Wi-Fi security structures that an organization might need to protect their intellectual property. There are fewer chances of office small talk and banter, which is often a nice distraction. But I understand if your organization isn't. If you do your best work late at night or early in the morning (instead of the standard 9 - 5), both options are doable with a more flexible remote work policy. Employees can work whenever and wherever they want to, which makes them … The “water cooler” atmosphere that limits productivity at work disappears when workers are planning their schedules at home. Employers include remote workers for holiday parties and corporate events, but it isn’t the same as a workspace which comes alive each day. If that interruption reaches 4.5 seconds, then their error rate triples. Even if a company allows workers to be remote just one day per week, that is enough for many workers to take advantage of this benefit. You’ll receive more diversity within an organization when remote work occurs. Home / Blog / Starting A Business / Pros And Cons Of Remote Working. Each time this happens, the organization is at risk to lose their vital employees. That means a 3-hour time difference develops for an East Coast company hiring someone on the West Coast between the employer and the worker. Workers are happier, deal with less stress, and still meet their deadlines. These pros and cons of working remotely prove that productivity and financial wellbeing increase when this structure is present for an organization. There are no “common ground” solutions here. That guarantee disappears when remote work occurs. Even if you work in an office, you may need to take work home occasionally. Let’s be honest: that’s probably impossible. October 2, 2012. People do not succeed or fail when working remotely because of their independence and personal drive (or lack of it). The net gain is a healthier, less stressed, and slightly richer employee. • It takes the average worker 25 minutes to return to productivity after a distraction. A 2014 study found 76% of remote workers were willing to work overtime and felt more loyal to their company. In 2018, about 216,000 people in Ireland opted for working from home or a co-working space, and this category of workers has only … Let them work from home every once in awhile. The most evident reason why people want to work remotely is that it offers them flexibility. Among the pros and cons of working remotely, the most significant advantage for me hands down has to be convenience. Anyone can work from anywhere to contribute. It’s easier to work around childcare and other kiddie-related obligations. Working remotely comes with a variety of benefits, including reduced commute time, increased productivity, and freedom and flexibility. No more waking up at 6 am to catch the subway, which arrives at 6.30 and then doesn’t show up for another 20 mins. Increasingly, technology transforms the way we work. That means the cost of getting to your job at a traditional office averages $2,600 per year. Say your company has 350 employees and on any given day 45 of them are working remotely. Instead of being stuck in traffic/on a packed train, and then sitting at the same desk every day, you can have an extra few hours in bed, and then open your laptop sat on … SHRM reports that almost 80% of workers who work remotely in some capacity report that they are more productive when they work somewhere other than their office. There is always a co-worker or two who wants to chat about whatever happened the night before. 3. Having the ability to work from your couch, in your sweatpants, with a fresh-brewed cup of coffee and your cat to keep you company cannot be understated. Technology is not the limiting factor it once was. The biggest example of this is that I don’t work Tuesday mornings 9 months of the year and instead, I participate in BSF. 30% of remote workers say that isolation is either a “big problem” or “something of a problem.” Combine these issues with the need to stay productive and you’ve got a recipe for problems. If you’ve ever freelanced, you understand this well. Remote workers must do the same, acting entrepreneurially by taking their work seriously, planning everything they do, and striving for the highest quality in their work. If you want more free time—and you’ll need free time to start your “muse” business in step A (Automate)—you’re going to have to reduce the hours you spend on your rat race job. So before you make the change from working in an office to working at home or from another location, you might want to first consider these advantages and disadvantages: Advantages. Working remotely is what almost everyone is doing these days, it seems. Jobs that are 100% remote can also be more family-friendly for working parents and … While this can be considered a pro of working remotely in the short term, it’s a con in the long-term. You’ll save money It depends on a lot of factors that are going to be unique to each workplace. Although some families find a home and stay there for generations, the average household moves 11 times over the course of their lifetime. These issues cut into the productive time of the worker. Do you prefer to work alone, or you want to travel, maybe you have some health issues which will make it easier for you to work from home or maybe you are a mum who needs some flexibility, or perhaps you have a different reason. Remote work (a.k.a., telecommuting or flex work) is a workforce management style that allows professionals to work outside of a traditional office environment, often from home. The trends which are driving digital transformations within each industry around the world are also changing the way workers look at how they do their jobs. Working remotely changes the way network protections offer safety. There are disadvantages to this setup which must have a thorough examination as well. It doesn’t include freelancers, the self-employed, or independent contractors not hired in the traditional sense either. A conventional 9-5 job takes up a lot of time. Want to create loyal, dedicated employees? The benefits of working from home. Smartphones, cloud computing, and fast data access drive the demand (and the potential) for working remotely. We share pros and cons of working from home and give advice on how to become better and more efficient every day. Companies are limited with their workforce in the traditional hiring relationship because they must hire people who are local or are willing to relocate to their community. No longer are you limited by a geographic location or a clock. Less Collaboration. If an employee is formally hired by an organization, then they receive the same benefits and coverage if they work remotely as they would if they commuted to an office each day. There are fewer lunches at restaurants. But before you decide to change up how you work, consider the pros and cons of working remotely. Hiring someone in Alaska or Hawaii deepens this disadvantage even further. When you open your company to remote workers, your potential talent pool expands immensely. The same goes for the employer. Working from anywhere is one of the best reasons to consider this employment arrangement. Let’s help you make a decision on the matter. © 2009–2021 Jostle Corporation. Pros Flexibility. Getty. Parents love the thought of working at home, especially with little ones in the home, because they get to spend more time with their children. A more recent study, conducted just two years later, found that 70 percent of professionals work remotely at least one day a week, while 53 percent work remotely for at least half of the week. For many, one of the biggest cons of working remotely is that social interaction is significantly reduced. In fact, with the way technology has progressed, it’s becoming common all over the world. hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(1842135, 'faf10bbe-503c-436a-a16f-d85dcca68056', {}); Jostle Corporation is the creator of a new kind of employee intranet. Even if they offer remote workers formal benefits (and don’t hire them as independent contractors), there are fewer spatial requirements to meet. Your co-workers would likely complain about the noise you create if you turned the music “up to 11.” Some employers restrict personal items on desks. Workers in Los Angeles, for example, pay over $4,000 per year. Play your music as loud as you want. Flexible Schedule. Here at Jostle, we’re generally in favor of working remotely. Employees can have greater freedom. Technology has redefined how people do their jobs. To find out either remote work is suitable for you, examine both the pros and cons. There’s a point in your freelance career (and in your professional career in general) when you realize that, in order to focus and get work done, you’re going to need to develop a rigorous schedule that isn’t, well, ‘free’. Unless the computer, phone, or other mobile device is company-issued, each worker must check for updates, download patches, and install items. The best part about working remotely is that you get to work from anywhere. Imagine sitting in a cubicle at the office. About 1 out of every 4 workers in the United States is working remotely at some frequency today. You work well when music is blaring loudly. 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