Fueled by employee demand for greater work-life balance and flexibility, remote work has surged over the past few years. In fact, recent findings from the Pew Research Center reveal that among those who work from home most of the time, 34% would prefer to have the choice to work remotely all the time.
Because of the sheer number of businesses that have introduced remote and hybrid work options in recent years, a great deal of data exists on the pros and cons of remote work. We now know that even though remote work can greatly improve employee satisfaction, it also has the potential to introduce new challenges.
Remote work isn’t going away anytime soon, though — which means that today’s businesses must find ways to tackle potential drawbacks proactively. In this article, we’ll discuss several common pitfalls of remote work and provide a quick guide for preventing their occurrence.
Companies that have transitioned their workforces to remote work have encountered a number of challenges over the past few years, such as:
1) Security concerns
With disparate personal networks, devices, and potentially unsecured connections scattered throughout remote workforces, organizations are left vulnerable to cyberattacks and data breaches.
2) Poor communication
While advances in technology have made it easier to communicate virtually, there’s nothing like face-to-face interaction. Entirely-virtual communication is more likely to hinder real-time collaboration, lead to misunderstandings, and slow down decision-making.
3) Employee disengagement
Employee disengagement is when employees start to lose interest and passion in their work. Disengagement is much more common when workers aren’t interacting with one another on a regular basis, and its consequences are severe: lackluster performance, increased absences, and higher turnover.
4) Worsening productivity
Whether it’s due to increased distractions, limited managerial oversight, or technical problems, remote workers face a number of unique challenges that can undermine their productivity.
5) Increased rates of burnout
Remote work has been found to heighten burnout by blurring work-life boundaries — leading to extended work hours and elevated stress levels due to the challenge of disconnecting from work.
6) Difficulty establishing a cohesive company culture
It can be a challenge for companies with remote operations to develop a strong work culture, as the absence of in-person interactions hampers the development of shared values and team bonding. Without a solid work culture in place, companies are more likely to suffer from employee disengagement and dissatisfaction.
Employees appreciate that remote work gives them greater flexibility to juggle personal and professional demands. However, this benefit tends to be accompanied by a notable drawback: career growth opportunity.
Recent research from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York revealed that younger employees who work remotely have lower promotion rates. This has been attributed to the fact that remote employees are lacking the “power of proximity” — in other words, they receive less feedback from senior employees and are thus curtailed from effective skill development.
In an attempt to eliminate the above pitfalls, many companies have chosen to either enforce on-site work or use productivity monitoring software to track performance. Yet these efforts have largely fallen flat or even backfired.
1) Enforcing on-site presence
Once pandemic restrictions were lifted, some companies began to require on-site presence five days a week. However, these attempts to revert work standards to pre-pandemic times have largely been futile. When faced with mandates to work on-site every day, employees are likely to actively protest. Additionally, these policies shrink talent pools and require greater investment in real estate budgets.
2) Deploying productivity monitoring software
Software solutions that monitor employee activity have become appealing for companies struggling with worsening productivity among remote workers. However, these tools often end up inadvertently damaging workplace relationships, eroding trust, and driving valuable employees away. Coupled with a lack of evidence supporting their efficacy, investing in such tools has by and large proven to be an unwise allocation of resources.
Engagement is the driving force behind employee performance and business outcomes. When transitioning to remote work, companies should be sure to take steps to encourage a more engaged culture. Some good practices include:
Engagement is an important piece of the remote workforce puzzle — but it’s not the only one. Through our extensive experience supporting businesses as they’ve gone remote over the past few years, WorkProud has discovered which tactics can improve outcomes for remote workforces. Here’s a helpful checklist of some best practices to guide businesses as they transition to remote workforces:
Technical readiness
Effective communication
Employee development
Company culture development
In today’s business landscape, offering remote work options is crucial — but it comes with the responsibility of safeguarding employee engagement and productivity. As companies adapt, they must prioritize strategies that ensure that remote employees remain connected and motivated. And fortunately, it’s that much easier to do so with the help of modern technology and employee recognition software. By harnessing these tools, companies can confidently navigate the path to sustained success in the era of remote work.
Lead by Example: The Keys to Building an Interactive & Engaged Remote Working Environment
Employee Pride (Not Location) Is What Matters in Remote Work
Remote Work is Here to Stay: How to Create a Win-Win Strategy for Your Organization and Employees
WorkProud is committed to helping its clients create a unified approach to the employee experience by helping them build cultures of workplace pride. Trusted by millions of users at some of the world’s most recognized employer brands, WorkProud delivers a comprehensive approach to building company cultures that inspire people to be Proud of their Work and Proud of their Company.
Every month, we share news, knowledge, and insight into what we believe is a pretty simple proposition: If you are “proud of your work and proud of your company,” you are more engaged, more productive, and more likely to stay with your company for the long haul.
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