Ever since the CVODI-19 pandemic hit the world, the number of businesses switching to a completely remote or hybrid working model has increased significantly. Even the businesses that operated on-premise entirely and offered no flexibility to their employees are now capitalizing on the remote working model for obvious reasons.
The remote working model offers tremendous benefits to both employees and employers, which is why this model has upheld its popularity ever since the COVID-19 pandemic changed our lives for us.
While we can't deny the benefits of the remote working model, we also can't turn a blind eye to the numerous challenges and cons of this work model. Every coin has two sides; the same is true with the remote working model. It has got both pros and cons.
The question is; do the pros outweigh the cons? Is the remote working model a blessing in disguise or a curse? This blog post answers all your questions.
Pros of the Remote Working Model
Most people enjoy the flexibility the remote working model offers and would opt for a remote working opportunity any given day over a job that requires their physical presence on the site. Not only are the employees enjoying the perks of flexible working, but even the employers are benefitting from the remote working model.
Below are some of the biggest pros of the remote working model that account for its massive popularity over the past 2 years.
Helps Save Time and Money
One of the biggest pros of the remote working model is how much time and money it saves for employees and employers.
For the employees, remote working means they don't have to spend money or time on the commute to and from work every day. Getting ready for work, driving or taking public transport to work, and coming back home all take a lot of time and money, which is clearly saved when working from home.
As for the employer, they get to cut a lot of operational expense that goes into arranging office equipment and supplies for their employers, the utility bills, and ton lots of miscellaneous expenses that go into keeping an office space up and running.
Improved Work-Life Balance
Every day is a race when you've got to reach the office. From the panicky morning hours to exhausting traffic jams in the evening, going to work literally drains you of all your energy. You're so tired by the time you get home that you just want to take a hot shower and get in bed and call it a day. This can have a serious impact on your personal life. This is where the remote work model comes to save the day.
Remote working saves a lot of your time and energy, which means you can invest more time and energy for your family. You can spend quality time with your family, participate with them in important things, and claim your space in their lives.
When the employees are happy, the business is going to benefit too. Happier employees are more productive, and this means better business outcomes.
Enhanced Productivity
With greater work-life balance, employees are naturally more productive. They don't feel frustrated and tired, which is very common when an employee has to spend 8 to 10 hours of their day sitting in front of their computer screens at work. Employees are more comfortable working from home and happy about achieving a greater work-life balance and performing better. Higher productivity means better quality results which mean all good things for the business.
Promotes Overall Well-Being and Sound Mental Health
Another major benefit of the remote working model is improved employee health and mental well-being. Employees who work from home eat home-cooked meals, unlike eating out when working from the office. Employees are well-rested as they don't have to wake up hours before their shift starts. Also, with a better work-life balance, employees experience less stress. All of this results in improved mental health and overall well-being. When employees feel good about themselves and their job, they're more motivated, resulting in higher efficiency and higher quality results at work.
Offers the Employer a Bigger Talent Pool
One of the biggest pros of the remote working model for employers is that they don't have to restrict themselves to hiring talent from their region. They can hire employees from anywhere as long as they're available to work the shift hours. The remote working model offers employers a bigger talent pool. Employers can hire the best employees for their business regardless of where they're located and utilize them for the best interest of their business.
Cons of the Remote Working Model
We can't deny the fact that there are some cons of the remote working model that we can't ignore. We've listed down some of the most noteworthy cons of the remote working model for you below:
Reduced Interaction Between Employees and Teams
One of the biggest cons of the remote working model is the reduced interaction between teams. When teams are working together physically, they communicate better and get things off their desks quicker. However, when all team members are working remotely, there's a communication gap that can cause delays in timelines. Delayed timelines aren't good news for the business.
Higher Risk of Musculoskeletal Disorders
Most people working from home don't have designated home offices, which means they're working from their beds, couches, or kitchen counters. You may not be able to see the wrong here, so let us explain. When you don't have a proper workspace with proper office furniture, you're at a major risk of developing work-related musculoskeletal disorders due to wrong working posture.
Most remote employees don't pay heed to ergonomics and continue to work in uncomfortable and poor ergonomic conditions that put them at risk of developing work-related injuries, majorly musculoskeletal disorders.
If the employees fall ill, their productivity will take a massive hit. Not only will the work get affected, but the healthcare costs for the employer will also increase big time!
Investing in the right ergonomic office equipment, like ergonomic chairs and ergonomic standing desks like Comhar Pro Standing Desk Q8, can mitigate the risk significantly, but only a few people find it necessary to invest their money in ergonomic office equipment.
Poor Work Discipline
One of the biggest challenges employers face due to the remote working model is poor work discipline. Employers take undue advantage of the flexibility and don't give sufficient time and attention to their work. They adopt a very laid-back attitude, as a result of which work suffers. Employees also get distracted due to house chores, family responsibilities, and having kids around who constantly demand their parents leave work to play with them. All of this affects employee focus and efficiency, and this is one of the major reasons why a lot of employers are reconsidering going fully remote.
Prolonged Downtime
If your system goes down at the office, you can quickly have the IT department look into it and fix the system for you. You can have your system up and running in no time when at the office. However, that's not the case with the remote working model. If an employee is experiencing technical problems with their system, IT will take much longer to diagnose and fix the problem remotely. They may not even be able to fix it and ask you to bring your system to the office. This can result in a lot of valuable time being lost, which isn't something any employer would want.
Blessing or Curse?
Most of the cons of remote working model can be overcome through right planning. The pros of remote working definitely outweigh the cons. Nothing comes without challenges. But it's on you how to tackle these challenges and make the most of the opportunity in hand. Employees and employers can work together to establish ergonomic workspaces. When there are designated workspaces at employees' homes that are equipped with the right ergonomic equipment, the risk of musculoskeletal disorders will be reduced, the problems of distractions will be mitigated, and the employees will be able to work with a greater level of focus.
If done correctly, the remote working model is a win-win situation for both employees and employers. So, it won't be wrong to say that the remote working model is definitely a blessing in disguise!
