The sophisticated communication networks of today have made it possible for people to access their work and report to their supervisors from the remotest corners in the world. Many employees are taking advantage of this technology as more and more people are working from home today.
In conventional business terminology, remote working happens when employees work away from the place of business. A person working away from the office space can be operating from abroad, on the road, or at home. Companies have benefited from introducing the option of working remotely in their organizations. However, just like other business decisions, introducing remote working has its own benefits and limitations.
Advantages
Considerable Reduction in Cost
A remote worker does not avail the facilities available in the workplace. This collectively leads to a reduction in the cost of production.
The regular commute to and from the workplace is both tiring and costly. A remote worker can avoid the hassle by working from home, saving both time and money.
Helpful for Employees with Disabilities
Employees that are struggling from a disability are the ones that have benefitted the most with the introduction of this policy. This now means that disabled workers will not have to face the challenges associated with commuting to work each day to offer their services.
Remote working has allowed disabled people to get employment in different business sectors which seemed like a distant reality not too long ago.
Less Absenteeism
With the option of work from home available, it will be increasingly difficult for an employee to use illness as an excuse for work. This will result in less absenteeism and eventually, more productivity.
People suffering from any form of inconvenience can avail the benefit of work from home and contribute significantly.
Disadvantages
Challenge to Maintain a Work/Life Balance
Although remote working is more flexible and was designed to improve work/life balance, poor management of time can result in an imbalance.
If an employee works for a business that has international clients, there are chances that the employee may end up working late in the night. An employee may find himself working late in the night, sending an email or an instant message to a client in other parts of the world.
Distracting
Remote workers need to be focused throughout the day to ensure that they get done with their work timely. However, there are certain disruptions during any employee’s daily life, making it difficult for the remote worker to get done in time.
While this may seem like a manageable problem, it is familiar to all employees because the environment is different from the one at the workplace.
Managers need to keep these Pros and Cons in mind when assigning someone the task of working from home. Similarly, the employees should also consider these factors when deciding to work from home.
