What is remote work?

Remote work is when employees perform their jobs from a location other than the employer’s official office. Remote locations could include an employee’s home, a co-working space, a private office, or anywhere else other than a traditional office building.

Why is remote work so popular?

During COVID-19, remote work surged out of necessity for health and safety reasons and has since become increasingly popular. Remote work can eliminate or reduce commuting times, widen recruitment initiatives, help companies save on overhead, improve employee productivity, entice more talent, and more.

How can companies make remote situations work?

Remote work requires companies to have a certain culture, the right technology, and processes to empower employees to stay productive at home or away from the office. There are a few necessary components for effective remote work:

• The right technology: Remote employees need fast internet and platforms that enable them to communicate with the team—such as Slack, MS Teams, or Zoom—and platforms that allow them to perform daily tasks from anywhere.
• A healthy culture: Virtual teams usually foster a strong sense of trust between co-workers, while management puts more emphasis on what’s getting done than time spent in the office.
• Strong connectivity: Jobs that can be done remotely require strong internet to be able to log onto cloud-based platforms for work.

Remote working challenges

Issues with remote work typically arise when management and team members aren’t aligned on expectations around when and how work gets done. When parties aren’t on the same page, they can face the following challenges:

• Decrease in productivity: Without clear guidelines and policies, employees may get distracted and fail to meet goals.
• Mistrust in employees: A lack of trust in employees’ ability to work effectively away from the office can lead to virtual micromanaging, which can make employees feel anxious and less motivated.
• Companies that dislike remote work: Remote work is better for organizations that have a clear policy in place for working out of the office.
• Unreliable technology: An unstable internet connection can kill productivity. In the same vein, unreliable applications or outdated hardware can lead to sub-par results.

Which types of jobs can be done remotely?

Generally, remote working is an option for businesses in most industries as long as the work can be completed online or on a local device. Jobs where the work is performed in person (ER doctors, postal workers, construction workers, and so on) usually cannot be performed remotely. Additionally, companies that handle sensitive client data may need to take extra steps to avoid breaches if employees work from home. Popular professions that work remotely can include:

• Engineer
• Graphic designer
• Accountant
• Teacher/instructor
• Writers or marketers