Remote Work – The New Norm

Remote work is an operating model that enables the work force to do their duties away from the typical office environment. Flexible working arrangements have been a trend in the ever-changing world before the Pandemic. The remote working has been increased in significant way due to COVID -19. This outbreak has compelled countries all around the world to implement various restrictions to people movements due to partial or total lockdowns and imposed social distancing protocols to control the spread of the virus. Large number of workers has shifted to virtual ways of working and some workers cannot carry out their jobs remote as they worked in sectors like retail, child care, elder care and health care. Most of the employees shifted for this virtual working for the first time. Some companies not allow their employees to work from home (WFH) due to fears of reducing productivity, limitations of infrastructure, cybersecurity, data protection, lack of system access from home (Ganado, et al., 2020).

Image I – Work From Home

Source: (www.economictimes.com)

Pros of remote working 

• More independence and flexibility.
• Cost saving for both employer and employee.
• Increased productivity.
• No office distractions.
• Collaborate across locations.
• Better work-life balance.
• It’s a powerful recruitment tool.
• Improved technical and communicational skills.
• Reduction in work absence.
• Increased job satisfaction.

Cons of remote working

• Collaboration and communication challenges among remote teams.
• Potential for isolation.
• Decreased visibility.
• Security issues (Cyber security/ Data protection).
• Home office cost.
• Risk of overworking.
• Risk to productivity.
• Distractions at home.
• Workplace disconnect.
• Disproportionate work-life balance.
• Less face time. (Team, 2021)

How to keep Productivity when WFH or working remotely in the Long – term

1. Upholding standards – Keep the quality, security, confidentiality and exceptional service remain a key priority.
2. Dress for the day – Even when working from home, encourage staff to ready for the day. This helps to sustain the productivity and well-being.
3. Virtual etiquette – Ensure high engagement, limited multitasking and no massages or phone call reminders included prior to commence the meeting in order to ensure and maintain the online meeting is conducted on a timely manner to respect the time schedules of all participants.
4. Team alignment is most important – Ensure the team is set-out with required goals, expectations, preferred ways of working and communicating. Internal communication should be kept in an utmost manner to drive the team toward the goal.
5. Develop a ritual – Ensure all the employees who WFH are having a time schedule to start and conclude their office work and develop a plan to schedule the routine work of an employee. This is helps them to ensure the work life balance (Vitalsmarts, 2021).

For example, in Hopper, which is a Canadian technology company that processed trillions of data points, allowing personalized travel recommendations, remote work method has immensely helped the workers to manage their  work-life-balance and also to achieve the company target in an enormous manner (flexjobs, 2021). 

Image II – Hopper

Source: (www.hopper.com)

Conclusion

Physical location of a working place has been gradually losing its importance, since the information technology has become the major part of the organization. As most of the countries have been implemented fully lockdowns due to the COVID – 19 outbreak, the only alternative to organizations to perform their duties is WFH which adjusting their work activities to a different location but maintaining their goals and responsibilities. If there is a suitable work space at home, WFH is the safest and most productive way to perform duties in a crucial time and in regular time. 

References

flexjobs, 2021. flexhobs.com. [Online]
Available at: https://www.flexjobs.com/remote-jobs/company/hopper
[Accessed 21 08 2021].

Ganado, M., Lautier, M., Attard, C. & Bencini, B. P., 2020. www.pwc.com. [Online]
Available at: https://www.pwc.com/mt/en/publications/the-covid19-remote-working-experiment-final4.pdf
[Accessed 19 August 2021].

Team, I. E., 2021. www.indeed.com. [Online]
Available at: https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/the-pros-and-cons-of-working-from-home
[Accessed 21 August 2021].

Vitalsmarts, 2021. Work-from-home habits of effecrive people - How to be productive when your routine changes, New York: VItal Smarts.