Consider The Downside of Remote Working

Remote work has become an important component of the modern economy. In light of recent significant advancements in video calls and file-sharing, working remotely is becoming more common for all employees, especially since the global pandemic.

While remote working has numerous advantages, such as increased diversity, productivity, and inclusion outcomes, the picture isn’t entirely rosy. With many benefits come some downsides too.

1.    Communication Gap

One of the greatest advantages of working in a physical office is walking over to a coworker’s desk and approaching a reporting authority to ask questions or receive clarity on a project. However, there is much less flexibility when working remotely because of the additional effort required to interact with them via phone calls, text messages, or video conferencing. You’re also not sure about their availability, so you have to wait for them to respond, which can cause a delay in work

2.    Isolation and Low Morale

When employees are in the office discussing with coworkers daily, it’s easy for them to feel like they’re a part of the broader picture. But unfortunately, remote work makes it more difficult for employees to feel connected to and participate in everyday corporate activities, which can lower their morale and motivation.

3.    Reduced Exposure of Workers

Due to a lack of visibility, employees may be hesitant about accepting a remote position. In addition, they may fear that if they don’t spend more time with their manager or other corporate executives, they won’t be given the opportunity for advancement that they deserve.

4.    A Lack Of Social Interactions Among Coworkers

Proper communication among colleagues is one of the essential aspects missing in a remote work arrangement.

In a traditional office setting, employees don’t have to spend their entire day behind a computer; there are several opportunities for them to communicate with other office employees and take breaks, such as having lunch together or talking over the coffee machine.

Working together in a workplace allows people to bond over shared experiences and establish empathy with one another. On the other hand, working remotely makes it more difficult to create this bond among coworkers, even when a company uses video conferencing, online chat applications, or other communication tools.

5.    Disrupts Work/Life Balance

Employees may think working from home would allow them to balance their work and personal lives better. However, some believe that they find it more difficult to unplug, relax, and enjoy time away from their work if they don’t have a physical boundary between where they work and where they spend their spare time.

Moreover, working for longer periods can also lead to burnout, which is unsuitable for one’s physical and mental health.

6.    Increases Distractions

While employees surely endure day-to-day distractions in the workplace, effective time management may be significantly more challenging since they have even more distractions at home, such as spouses, children, pets, and so on. Of course, each person’s home workspace and ability to block distractions differ. However, employees who continuously display a lack of focus or dedication may be unsuitable for remote work.

Both onsite and remote working come with many pros and cons. Many of the advantages of remote work are also its drawbacks, making it a double-edged sword. Nonetheless, how a business decides to implement this strategy is the most important question here.