The massive exodus from office work to remote systems in 2020 also affected diverse facets of life. However, the part that concerns remote work is quite huge.
Most companies never envisaged the speedy move into working remotely. However, accelerated by the pandemic, global adoption also introduced huge benefits to modern jobs. But there are also vast setbacks to having a remote job in 2022.
What Is Remote Work?
Remote work is a system of work that provides an opportunity for office workers and professionals to work away from the traditional office environment. The system is based on the premise that work can be moved outside the conventional system through the availability of the required network and security resources.
So, instead of having to commute daily to the office, remote employees can work from their homes while on a journey, at a coffee shop, or at any of their desired locations as long as they can meet up to their work expectations.
How Do People Work Remotely?
The beauty of remote work is that people can choose to work from anywhere and in a way that suits them the most. While some people can work remotely for most of the weekdays, they may be needed to be physically present at the office for meetings. However, on other typical work hours, they work from a coffee shop or anywhere they like.
Other remote workers may prefer to be in coworking spaces where they can be more efficient. In addition, coworking spaces can help to boost productivity, community, and technology and offer excellent network connectivity and opportunities to interact with other people in other industries.
With the rising challenges from people around the globe, many business owners agree with their workers over the remote system. The benefits of remote work are immense. Some of them include the following:
- Improved work=life balance
- Saved the cost of commuting to work
- Decide on the preferred work environment.
- Reduced cost of living
- Fewer office politics
- Happy and healthier life
- More money to be earned
- Enhance connections with workers located around the globe.
Let’s look at the four main setbacks of having a remote job in 2022.
1. Lack of Teamwork
Man is naturally a social being. And isolation kills collaboration. In essence, there should be communication and interaction with others in the industry for utmost performance to enhance the flow of ideas.
While some employees feel excited about the work-from-home concept, some find it hard and become more unproductive. Sitting alone with a computer screen for long work hours without physical interaction with individuals can be challenging. The various video conferencing platforms available, like Zoom and Skype, might be very helpful, though not as efficient as sitting physically together with other players in the industry to work.
2. High Cost and Increased Security Concerns
A report showed that 20 percent of companies experience data breaches due to an error from a remote worker. The cybersecurity risks linked to remote work are many, and they are often affected by employee attitudes toward work, expanded attack surfaces, cloud-based infrastructures, security skills shortages, and vulnerable networks.
In addition, setting up a home office will require high investment for the remote worker or the organization. You’ll need a high-end computer system, printer/fax machines, a high-speed internet connection, and other necessary equipment. And it can be entirely not secure to access sensitive company data directly over the internet; hence the need for the company to invest in security measures to safeguard network data and resources.
Another major factor is poor compliance security, leading to increased business risks. Highly networked, multinational businesses with remote workers located in various areas are likely to experience high threats and risks. And if they are neglected, they will attract severe consequences for the business.
3. Poorly Monitored Work Performance
The employers rarely monitor remote work. The job usually requires that employees keep track of their work themselves, an expectation requiring extra discipline for workers to keep up with. Self-regulation is often not easy, and the work relies on the employees’ discretion.
Most employees working remotely often fall easily into the ditch of procrastination, taking frequent breaks from work, leading to an overall lower output as the work goes unmonitored. However, this is not often the case in the traditional office system. Therefore, depending on the job specifications, in a remote work system, there should also be a strategy to monitor progress on work.
4. Remote Distractions
A Glassdoor survey involving 1,000 respondents in America showed that 32 percent of remote workers had issues with keeping away from watching TV when working remotely, followed by 27 percent of others who say they struggle with child care.
Depending on where you work as a remote worker, your efficiency could be impeded by many distractions around you. You could have children screaming consistently, noise from traffic, domestic animals, ringing doorbells, and even household chores. Hence, you’ll need to invest in a dedicated workspace that will benefit your productivity.
So, while remote work has many benefits both to the worker and the organization, it comes with huge downsides that must be adequately managed. Employees need to focus more on their job during stipulated work hours. It can be challenging to prevent distractions, especially when working around your family. Hence, not every remote location is excellent for remote jobs.
How can I Work From Home?
If you enjoy the privilege of working from home, it is essential to find out how eligible your work is for such a move. You should discuss it with a supervisor about it. And find out how best to carry out your tasks without having issues, facings distractions, or being caught in the web of cyberattacks.
