The COVID-19 pandemic has shut us down at home. Overnight, it became from a place of rest also a special place for work and children’s education. Lockdown forced remote work, which from the beginning had its advantages and disadvantages. It was possible to save a lot of time on commuting. Remote employees were happy that, while at work, they could also keep an eye on children participating in remote lessons. On the other hand, permanent remote work opportunities often meant much longer working hours and being ‘on call’ around the clock.
The end of epidemic emergency meant a return to offices. However, many employees are very reluctant to return to offices while some employers are reluctant to home jobs and are trying to get people back to traditional offices. Some CEOs have already given up and are no longer pushing for the complete return of traditional in-office work. They seem to be reconciled to reality and see nothing wrong with flexible forms of work, combining on-site and remote employment. Home office has also become permanent in the Polish labor code. New regulations governing fully remote work came into force last year. A number of obligations were imposed on employers to entrust an employee to perform work from anywhere. The amended code also provides for the possibility of requesting remote work. At the request of an employee – for example, a pregnant woman or a person caring for a child up to the age of 4 – the company’s management is obliged to grant a request for remote work option.
Remote, partially remote, traditional or flexjobs? Which type of work is best? Remote work is undoubtedly the most enduring legacy of the pandemic. Both employees and employers have different opinions about remote work.
Advantages and disadvantages of doing remote work from home
Working from home is a comfort. Among other benefits of remote work employees manage their own flexible working hours and determine what tasks they perform when. Doctor’s appointment? Then work duties start later and finish later. Another advantage of providing work from home is saving time. It is not only lots of commute time to and from the company. It’s also the ability to focus on your tasks. No one disturbs while you’re working in your own work environment, you can focus on your work and finish it faster. No dress code is another important advantage of working entirely from home – no formal clothes except for occasional video meetings!
Remote work also has benefits for both employers. One of them is the office maintenance costs reduction. Another is remote recruitment – access to experts living not only in another city, but also in another country. They can work remotely full or part-time.
What are the disadvantages of working remotely or telecommuting? First, lack of contact with the supervisor at work location. Workers say online work requires remote workers’ discipline. Many remote workers who continue working from home are unable to meet deadlines. Additionally, we are usually paid for work results, not for the effort we put into it. Sometimes we think we have worked at home 24 hours a day to achieve the same result as having office full-time jobs. Of course we forget about breaks working remote and flexible time. Lack of direct contact with experienced colleagues is another drawback. Coworking space with someone working longer means you can take their advice and fresh perspective on the problem you are currently dealing with.
Remote job, flexjobs and telecommuting end and return to offices in 2024 ?
The survey clearly shows that 65% of CFOs indicate maintaining flexible work arrangements and remote work policies as a priority. About 20-25% of the US employees are working remotely at least part of the week. According to the survey, candidates expect advertisers to address remote work in offers already at the recruitment stage. 74% people want hybrid remote work from wherever they live. Although many remote companies allow remote or hybrid work, there is a trend toward increasing the amount of time required to perform duties from the company’s headquarters.
The number of offers for exclusively remote work is decreasing, but the number of hybrid work offers is increasing. It means employers understand the need and desire of employees to work from home, but they also care about on-site teamwork. Flexible and remote work model means access to talents from different parts of the world. Polish companies are still most often hiring locally, but increasingly industries such as IT services and technology, computer software, gaming, IT consulting, marketing and advertising are opening up to cooperation with employees from distant countries and different time zones.
Nowadays work can be done differently which means new opportunities for companies. Offering flexible work arrangements not only from physical office they are more human-centered and work-life balanced, more resilient to force majeure or pandemic-type crises, when transition to remote working came overnight. Nonetheless, remote workforce management must remain vigilant and respond in real time to reduced motivation or quiet quitting.
Balanced work model – three strategies to help work remotely
Full-time home office work as well as exclusively stationary work no longer works. Full flexibility threatens the well-being of employees, and requiring them to work five days a week in the office threatens engagement and productivity reduction. This is a real challenge that today’s leaders must meet. Three strategies, suggested by Jeremy Brecheisen, partner and managing director of The Gallup CHRO Roundtable, seem to help.
First, Gallup advises that leaders should listen to employees and build solutions they need on that basis. Employees forced to work in a work mode they don’t prefer will never be satisfied. If people prefer separating their professional and personal lives, offer them a work time 9 to 5 model. If employees mix personal and business worlds, running private errands in the morning and devoting themselves to business duties in the evening, take it into account and allow people to work in suitable model.
Second, care about your employees and job security. Often leaders think they care about their people and workplace culture, but these don’t see it at all. To fill this gap employers are obliged to talk to onsite and remote team, use appropriate right tools, collaboration tools and programs for the company’s well-being and career opportunities and systematically review their effectiveness.
Last step is manager training in managing remote positions and hybrid teams. Managers overloaded with responsibilities often skip them. This should be taken into account and managers should be supported in their daily work to use available tools and knowledge and build good practices. Remote work provides ability to work and train from home.
