Remote working is the term for employees working from home or a different office.
There are many benefits of remote workers, but also some disadvantages. Some people don’t like working from home and want to be in an office with others around them. For example, if you are on a conference call and need help with something or want to talk to someone, it can make things difficult when they can’t see who else is there with them, so they feel isolated and not part of the team.
What is remote working?
Now, let’s talk about remote working. What is it? Well, remote working means working from anywhere and any location. You can be out of the office. You can sit at your desk during the day. You can work from a coffee shop or coworking space if you want!
Remote workers are everywhere because they can choose where they want to work and how often they want to work—and there isn’t anything stopping them from doing so (except maybe some pesky managers).
However, one thing that has been proving challenging is just how much of an impact remote working has on business growth—or whether or not it even matters anymore…
Remote Working in a large company
Remote working is a great way to get more out of your employees and help them be more productive. It can also help you attract and retain the best talent, which is vital for growing your business. In fact, according to a study by Ericsson ConsumerLab, 51% of consumers say they would prefer their next job to be remote working.
Remote workers are often given high-level tasks because they don’t have to commute daily and can work from anywhere at any time. This means they can usually complete these tasks in less time than non-remote workers who have other obligations such as commuting or caring for children or elders.
Problems with remote working
There are plenty of problems with remote working. Let’s talk about some of the most common ones.
- Communication problems
It’s hard to keep on top of things when you’re away from the office, so it’s easy for misunderstandings and miscommunications to occur. You may need help to keep up with what your coworkers are doing and learn about them as individuals. When you’re working together remotely, there isn’t the same sense of urgency or importance attached to tasks compared to an office where people can pass by each other’s desks daily. These factors can lead to better communication between employees who need to talk more frequently or meet face-to-face (though many companies still require employees who work remotely occasionally). This kind of situation leads directly to our next point…
Remote Working before COVID-19
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, telecommuting was a luxury. If you were fortunate enough to have the option of working from home, it was usually limited by one or more factors:
- The size of your company. Large organisations tended to be less open-minded about remote work because they needed their employees on-site for meetings and conferences.
- The type of work you did. Some professions require employees to be near each other (e.g., sales), while others don’t (e.g., accounting).
- The industry and location where your company operated—if it were located in an area affected by COVID-19, then there would have been no way around being present at work during business hours if you wanted to keep your job!
Remote Working after COVID-19
First, there were a few years of slow but steady growth. Then, in 2019, the remote working industry exploded. The United Kingdom passed new laws requiring all companies with over 50 employees to allow remote work by 2022. The United States followed suit with similar legislation in 2020 (though it was only mandatory for companies with more than 100 employees). Australia and Canada both passed similar laws around the same time too. New Zealand is still working on getting theirs through Parliament, though it’s expected to be introduced soon enough!
Opportunities from remote working
You might be asking yourself the following questions:
- How can remote working help me attract top talent?
- How can remote working help me grow my business?
- What is the cost/profit ratio associated with setting up a remote team?
- What’s the best way to manage my remote workers?
Remote working success stories
To help you get started, here are some remote working success stories from companies that have successfully implemented remote working:
- HubSpot implemented a policy of “Work where you want,” which, according to their website, means that “you can work from home (or wherever, really).” They also offer flexible hours and time off. These policies have been so successful that they now employ over 2,000 people in 100+ countries worldwide – all working remotely!
- Many software companies allow employees to work remotely after proving themselves in an office setting. For example, at Zendesk (which employs over 1,500 people), each new hire has a 90-day trial period during which they must work out of an office before being considered for remote employment. This means that when deciding whether or not to allow their employees to telecommute on a full-time or part-time basis, companies need to consider if there are any red flags with their individual employee’s performance and conduct to keep the company running smoothly regardless of location preferences by its members.”
Despite the benefits of remote working, some problems need to be overcome, but generally, it offers opportunities.
Despite the benefits of remote working, some problems need to be overcome, but generally, it offers opportunities.
- Remote work can save money as companies can hire people with lower salaries and still get good quality work done by them.
- Remote working is an excellent way for companies to attract talent that doesn’t want or cannot relocate their families, especially millennials who value flexibility over pay raises or stock options.
- It reduces environmental impact because office space is no longer needed, so less energy is required. In addition, fewer cars would be on the road if employees were all working from home instead of commuting into an office building daily (which may take hours each way depending on traffic and weather conditions).
Bottom-Line
I think it’s clear that remote working is a positive thing for businesses and employees alike. While some problems need to be overcome, I believe the benefits outweigh these concerns. Fast-growing companies have been using remote working as a secret weapon for a long time. The pandemic has introduced the possibilities to everyone now.
Who am I?
I am Dotun Adeoye, a Business Growth Strategist & Author of the 5 Pillars of Business Growth.
I’ve built up my experience via serial entrepreneurship, consulting leadership roles in business growth, business development and product innovation in large companies worldwide in the last 29 years.
Today, I consult with large businesses on how to sustainably grow their businesses, sustain infinite growth, ensure business continuity and achieve a legacy.
Hire Dotun Adeoye to Speak Virtually or In – Person at your company’s event to cover this or other topics. You can also get in touch via +44 203 097 1718
