You liked what you’ve seen, and now you want to jump on the bandwagon.
But not so fast. While working remotely, or from home, can be a great experience, it has a dark side, and there are many considerations to take into account.
Let’s find out what remote work entails.
Remote Work: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Working remotely has several advantages for both the company and the environment, in addition to the employee.
Here are six benefits of working from home that you should take into account:
1. Flexibility:
As long as daily duties are done, working from home gives the benefit of a flexible schedule, allowing for personalized time management that meets the employee's preferences.
Even though there may be set core working hours, employees frequently have more freedom in choosing when and how they work.
Better work-life balance may also be achieved with a flexible schedule, which enables pauses for taking the dog for a walk or doing housework.
2. Enhanced Productivity and Performance:
Remote workers typically experience fewer distractions, lower levels of noise, and fewer office politics, leading to higher productivity and efficiency at work.
This benefits both the employer and the employee. Remote work can also promote engagement, commitment, growth, and innovation among team members.
3. Environment-friendly:
Working from home reduces emissions from daily commuting and paper waste from office activities. Electronic communication and video conferencing are alternative modes of collaboration that further reduce emissions.
Additionally, remote work can reduce the use of single-use plastics that come with traditional office work.
4. Location Flexibility:
Remote workers are not tied to their home office and can work from different locations, such as a library, coffee shop, or coworking space.
You can finally do what those digital nomads do and open up your laptop on a nearby beach on one of the Caribbean islands while sipping your favorite tropical drink!
5. Cost Saving:
Working from home eliminates transportation, car maintenance, monthly parking fees, a professional wardrobe, and daily expenses like coffee and lunches bought out.
6. Health Benefits:
Remote work can promote better mental and physical health. It reduces exposure to illness, allows for better sleep, and gives you the flexibility to schedule exercise and self-care.
Working from home has the potential to save you a lot of money every year by eliminating commute costs and other office-related expenditures. Your bank account could benefit as a result.
Additionally, it has been demonstrated that working remotely helps people live healthier lives by lowering stress levels, giving them more time to pursue interests and hobbies, and strengthening interpersonal bonds.
The absence of a regular commute can have positive health effects on blood pressure, headache frequency, and back discomfort. Additionally, working remotely gives you the chance to incorporate exercise into your daily routine by using the commute time to go for a run or work out. With no colleagues to consider, you can even exercise during your lunch break without worrying about showering until later.
The Dark Side of Remote Work (6 Things):
Undoubtedly, remote work has its advantages and disadvantages. It is important to consider the latter to increase your chances of success in a work-from-home role.
1. Fear of Missing Out:
Working remotely can cause social isolation and a lack of team contact, which can result in feelings of exclusion and the worry of passing up chances.
Moreover, remote workers might be concerned that they are not getting the respect and advancement they deserve.
To mitigate these concerns, it's worth inquiring about the company's communication policies and whether they organize in-person or online social events. Additionally, asking about the onboarding process can be beneficial.
2. Communication Overload:
Remote workers must use various communication channels, such as phone, email, video calls, and direct messages, which can lead to an overwhelming amount of information to sort through. Employees may worry about missing important details due to the high volume of messages.
It goes without saying that communicating what’s bothering you about communication overload is necessary at this stage. Zoom fatigue is a common concern among remote workers, so scheduling breaks between meetings can be beneficial.
3. Finding Motivation:
Working from home can make it difficult to stay motivated and focused on work. In an office setting, a commute and social interactions with colleagues help employees get into "work mode."
To address this, employees can establish a work routine or ritual to signal to their brains that it's time to work. This routine may include setting up a designated workspace, working at the same time every day, maintaining good ergonomics, and taking regular breaks.
4. The challenge of loneliness:
Crippling loneliness is very common when working remotely. Some people welcome the quiet and peace of mind, while others get crushed by the utter silence and lack of social interactions.
The sun and the outside world can do a world of good for those who feel they're lacking in social interactions. Just going for even a short stroll can do wonders for mental health.
Extra free time from not commuting can be used to engage in more social activities, including meeting up for coffee with friends, going to the gym, or joining a neighborhood club to foster face-to-face interaction.
5. Maintaining work-life balance:
While remote work is frequently promoted as a way to improve work-life balance, it can backfire if clear boundaries are not set.
The issue develops when work starts to interfere with one's personal life and extends past conventional working hours.
For instance, a person may start working at 8 a.m. instead of 9 a.m., put in an extra 20 minutes to finish a task, or work on the weekend.
It may be helpful to address expectations with your line manager if you routinely find that you have more work than you can handle.
Additionally, if one becomes easily distracted during the day, tools like the Cold Turkey app can assist in staying on task, and setting specific working hours can help prevent work from overtaking one's life.
6. Increased home costs:
When working from home, additional expenses for energy, such as heating or cooling, lighting, charging electronic devices such as laptops, phones, and tablets, and internet usage, may be incurred.
Here are some ideas for reducing these expenses:
Reduce monthly gas and electric expenditures and carbon emissions by a few degrees by turning down the thermostat.
- When choosing a home office space, take advantage of natural light because it can enhance general health and wellbeing.
- Avoid printing papers; instead, keep them in the cloud. To cut down on energy waste and save on power costs, unplug appliances from the wall.
The same goes for purchasing new furniture, such as an ergonomic chair and a workstation.
According to Global Workplace Analytics, a typical company may save roughly $11,000 annually for each team member who works from home periodically.
To aid with the costs of working remotely, several companies offer furniture, equipment, or a work-from-home stipend.
Five Factors That Decide Whether Remote Work Is Right for You:
While the previous sections focused on remote work in general, now it's time to consider how you personally can identify with this type of work and whether it's right for you.
1. Your personality:
Working from home isn't for everyone. Consider your own preferences as you determine if you possess the discipline and drive necessary to work alone.
2. Job Type - Autonomy Level:
Remote work may not be a viable choice for positions requiring a lot of in-person communication. Examine the degree of autonomy provided by your employer when deciding if remote work is right for you.
3. Personal and family commitments:
Working from home can allow those who have commitments to their families freedom, but it can also be a source of distractions. Go for it if you have the tools and support you need to juggle your personal and professional obligations! Your love for your profession will grow.
4. Your available resources:
A computer, an internet connection, and a phone are the bare minimum to work remotely. Before deciding to work remotely, make sure that you have the required equipment and technology.
5. Existence of a Designated Workspace:
Effective remote work requires a distraction-free workstation. Think about whether you already have a designated workstation at home or whether you need to set one up.
What’s There Left to Say?
Don’t forget that WFH is just like any other type of work. You still have to put in the time and effort to succeed.
Many people claim it’s some revolutionary invention that’ll change jobs forever, but in truth, it’s not for everyone.
Hopefully, this article will help you decide whether to follow through with your remote work ambitions or abandon them altogether.
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