When asked how’s the future of work looking like for him, HubSpot’s CTO, Dharmesh Shah said: “being able to work in your pajamas”.
Well, his vision was quite accurate as in 2020, around 18% of the global workforce was working remotely on a full-time basis. What is more, remote jobs are expected to make up to 30% of the global workforce by the end of 2021.
Teleworking seems quite beneficial for employers—77% of workers reveal they are more productive when working from home (WFH)—but how do employees really feel about switching to a full-time remote job?
Teleworking is more tiring
The pandemic was a wake-up call for companies that delayed their digital transformation initiatives and for many employees it was an eye-opening experience as well. Some realized that working remotely is more than doable and it doesn’t hamper their productivity and others found out that WFH can get quite exhausting.
In fact, a recent IBM report showed that employee burnout is one of the main challenges of the new remote culture. Data indicates that teleworkers feel drained and overwhelmed since working remotely on a full-time basis. Unplugging from work is a top challenge faced by remote employees—without defined office hours and the change of location, many people don’t know how to balance their personal and professional time.
Disconnection and remote employees
19% of remote employees report loneliness as their biggest challenge, exacerbated by lockdowns and social distancing measures. As major mental disorders such as depression and anxiety are reported to have increased in severity since the virus outbreak, employers need to start addressing this issue. Activities that help prevent employees from feeling disconnected are daily online meetings or informal workshops that bring teams together.
Poor communication affects efficiency
20% of remote workers identify communication as an obstacle. Be it a result of unstable internet connection, application issues, or different timetables, poor remote communication can be a big productivity threat.
Although 96% of remote workers surveyed in a recent study revealed that they currently have up to four virtual meetings a day, communication is still not as effective as when working from the office. How do workers feel about online meetings? 76% think they are a waste of time and 55% say that meetings under 30 minutes are the most productive.
Employees like the remote working freedom
A recent study shows that 98% of workers would like to be able to work from home for the rest of their careers. What is it that they most like about teleworking?
The flexible schedule is what most people love about WFH. The freedom that comes with making your own schedule and working at your own pace is what appeals to most employees. The ability to work from anywhere (not quite possible during the lockdown) is also seen as a valuable advantage of remote jobs and people who work from a cafe or park from time to time have reported higher levels of productivity and creativity.
Conclusion
One thing is clear: remote jobs are here to stay and will probably shape the future of the workforce. Many companies are still adjusting to this new reality of teleworking and have yet to figure out what works best for their employees and their business model. Although the struggles of remote jobs are real, the benefits seem to outweigh them and promise to provide employees more growth opportunities and the ability to work in healthier, more relaxed environments.
