Working remotely is increasingly popular, with more and more businesses opting to allow their staff to work from the comfort of their own homes.
As the technology industry is bursting at the seams with innovations, high-tech smartphones and cloud computing technology has made connecting and remote working easier than ever before.
We can easily share documents and spreadsheets with people across the world at the touch of a button, and remote software can even transfer settings and files to any device.
With technology no longer limiting companies when it comes to remote working, why doesn’t every company take the leap?
The best part about working remotely is that you get to work from anywhere. Instead of having to check in to the same office everyday, you can take your workload with you on the go.
You can work from home, in your garden, at a cafe or restaurant, or even at a conference and event that blends your social life with your work life.
As well as having flexibility of where you work, you also have the flexibility of when you work. You can work your hours around meetings, appointments and commitments easily without having to book time off and leave the office early.
Because of the vast flexibility afforded to newer remote workers, it forces workers to develop a new set of skills when it comes to managing their time.
For employers, remote working opens up an even more vast talent pool of potential staff that are no longer limited by their proximity to an office.
Staff could be operating all over the globe to aid in a businesses running, all without having to be in the same postcode.
The ability to work from a remote location can considerably reduce the stress that some employees experience. Being in a comfortable, non-public environment that provides a feeling of privacy can be a major benefit for people who feel much more at ease when they are by themselves.
Assuming the people you hire are a good fit and everything works out, working remotely creates a lot of trust. Trust means confidence in your team and what you’re doing. Confidence and personal investment in what you’re doing means increased loyalty.
Remote working allows staff to learn more about independent supervision and prioritising tasks and deadlines than they may learn while under a bosses’ watchful eye.
What’s more, remote working allows staff members to save money. Commuting to work – whether that be by public transport or car – can cost a pretty penny, and may simply be unaffordable for some people.
Remote working takes the worry of travel and maintenance out of the question and allows staff to focus on work.
These savings are also extended to the office environment. Office equipment and the maintenance of running a building is expensive, so by allowing staff to work remotelym these costs are slashed.
These positives are not to say that there are no negatives to remote working that arise between staff.
Even with all the advancements in collaboration and communications technology described above, there’s still no environment as perfect for collaboration as being physically present with your peers.
This can extend to a lack of communication with the outside world for a staff member, that is detrimental to your mental health. Individuals can find themselves inside their houses without any human connections throughout the day.
Not being physically present can have a detrimental effect on communication between teams, leaving some members out of the loop and searching for answers.
Working remotely comes with its own set of distractions, which depend on each worker’s circumstances.
For some workers, working from home will mean that their workload will pile up as they struggle to self-regulate and manage their time wisely.