Today’s world has become virtual primarily due to the COVID-19 virus, moving to remote work that has become widespread worldwide. Although some organizations had adopted arrangements that allowed employees to work flexibly, the onset of COVID-19 led to the rapid implementation of remote work, which had benefits and drawbacks. This article focuses on the effects of remote working on overall business effectiveness and workers’ welfare in the contexts of advantages, disadvantages, and precautions for organizational employees in remote environments.
Enhanced Productivity and Flexibility
According to Lisa Ockinga, Chief Product Officer at Ling, “A significant benefit that has resulted from implementing a work-from-home system for various organizations is the improvement in efficiency. Since people are not compelled to travel to and from work daily, they have more time for business; hence, productivity is championed. The flexibility of working from home also means that one can make arrangements that will enable them to manage their own life because this is not possible when working fixed hours in the office, which means that there are reduced stress levels. Many researchers have found that workers who manage hours and their work environment are likely more efficient.”
Furthermore, remote work has also benefited companies by expanding the source of human capital for employment. Employers can no longer base their employees’ selection on their geographical location, making it easy for companies to seek productive employees worldwide. Such a distribution may foster new ideas and help increase team productivity and innovation.
Challenges to Communication and Collaboration
However, just like with most things, there are also disadvantages of remote work, and some of them are. As mentioned earlier, remote work has the disadvantage of reduced face-to-face interaction, communication, and collaboration. It is common for employees to arrange and work in the same office; hence, it facilitates communication, and teamwork permits the formation of an employee community. Remote work, however, implies the use of digital communication equipment, making distance communication possible; at the same time, it is characterized by some significant disadvantages, such as the possibility of interpretations and lack of direct communication. To overcome such challenges, the business must ensure that it goes out and hires best-of-breed communication and collaboration solutions, including video conference solutions, Instant messaging, and project management. Daily/weekly virtual meetings could also be vital in ensuring that all the employees are on the same page per the company objectives. Further, the fourth communication practice is for managers to encourage group members’ sharing of thoughts and ideas and to lift employee morale.
Impact on Employee Well-being
The shift to the new normal has significantly influenced employees’ physical and psychological health during operational work from home. On the brighter side, remote work decreases the stress levels elicited by commuting and offers employees some level of control over their environment. The outcome is more flexibility, positively affecting an employee’s mental health and job satisfaction. However, there are also certain disadvantages of switching to remote work, one of which is found when the work and home lives of employees become intertwined or overlapping, thus failing to provide the distinct separation between work and home that allows the employee to take a break from work and simultaneously, recharge themselves. Since there is no clear line between the home and work, this arrangement results in extra working hours and employee burnout. Employers should not underestimate such barriers as they need to provide solutions for their employees’ preservation. Some ways are creating access to counseling services, reinforcing the notion of having rest, and achieving a life-work balance. Employers can also organize virtual social events and team-building activities to enhance relatedness among the teleworkers.
Conclusion
The transition to remote work has notably impacted business efficiency and factors such as work-life balance. As remote work has notable advantages, like flexibility and a vast pool of talents, there are certain drawbacks concerning communication, collaboration issues, and work-life balance. It is only possible for corporations to select appropriate gadgets and equipment and focus on the cultural aspect of the remote working environment for their employees. That is why, as the trends in telecommuting develop, organizations will have to focus on how to make their employees’ work practical and helpful with limited face-to-face communication.
