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Believe the Hype? The Real Pros & Cons of Working Remotely

Believe the Hype? The Real Pros & Cons of Working Remotely

The workplace is undergoing radical shifts in order for companies to stay competitive. You might have seen talks about “The Future of Work” or “The Talent Wars” and how they will impact the way we work moving forward.

One major point in both conversations is that many employees (especially younger professionals) are beginning to realize how their skills provide value to their companies. A result of this is the increasing demand for flexible work arrangements. That includes working remotely and working from home (WFH).

Some companies run fully remotely, while others allow a certain number of days per week that employees can work from home. Outside of employee demand, companies are starting to understand the value of these perks as well. When done effectively, we see increases in job satisfaction, productivity, and innovation.

Working remotely  seems like a dream for many people, but it has its pros and cons like any work environment.

The Real Pros:

  • Flexible Schedules – You are rarely expected to be in one place for a solid 8 hours. This means you can throw in a load of laundry while you wait for your next call. Or, run by the bank without worrying about making it before they close. You may need to work a little later, but flexible schedules allow you to take control of your time.
  • Eliminate Commutes – Without driving to the office every day, you easily save money on gas/transportation and regain time from avoiding traffic. Imagine having more time to sleep, get up and make breakfast, or spend more time with family.
  • Reduce Distractions – We all have coworkers who pop into our offices for something “real quick.” While this can be an enjoyable distraction, it breaks our focus and takes time away from actually getting our work done.
  • Work from Anywhere – Travel to a place you’ve always wanted to visit. All you need is a solid Wi-Fi connection. You may need to do some work, but this helps offset the costs of travel and prevents you from getting too far behind on your assignments.

The Real Cons

  • Difficult to Disconnect – Working from home can co-mingle two parts of your life that normally stay separate. It can be difficult to avoid work when your personal space is also your work space. Having a dedicated home office can help with this.
  • Loneliness – This might seem a little silly, but it’s actually reported as one of the top drawbacks to working remotely from many fully-remote employees. Companies sometimes struggle to build teams and maintain engagement when there aren’t opportunities to socialize or get to know our peers outside of work.
  • Communication – There are many platforms like Slack & Zoom to assist with remote communication, but this remains a top challenge for employers. This forces employees to be clearer and more comprehensive in their communication because you can’t always expect quick responses.
  • Competition for Jobs – If flexible work arrangements sound appealing to you, it’s no surprise. Many people are searching desperately for this type of autonomy. This increases competition for these jobs even more, and forces candidates to showcase their ability to perform effectively despite some of these challenges.

Let’s face it. Most of us spend the majority of our work days in front of a computer or in meetings. This means that much of our work can actually be done from anywhere in the world with a stable Wi-Fi connection. So, it’s no surprise that people want the flexibility of working remotely. However, it is important to be self-aware and assess your ability to succeed in a remote environment first.

If you are looking to increase your confidence or candidacy for these types of roles, consider taking online courses, stepping up when the boss is away, reading articles, and being crystal clear with your communication skills. Good luck!

For more information on working remotely, check out Buffer’s “State of Remote Work 2019” here: https://buffer.com/state-of-remote-work-2019

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4 Ways to Motivate Your Team while Working Remotely

Many leaders have been forced to work remotely due to COVID-19, and they’re now learning the challenges of supervising distributed (remote) teams. If you are one of these leaders, it’s important to realize that remote leadership is a skill. If you’ve never led a distributed team, one of your biggest challenges will be keeping your team(s) motivated. Luckily, we’re sharing 4 strategies you can implement to improve accountability, motivation, and engagement, even from a distance.  1. Have Clear Goals Goals need to be clear to every employee at the company. This answers an important question every time tasks are assigned: Why am I being asked to do this? Most talented professionals and teams strive for the idea of achievement and working together to accomplish a goal. So, ask yourself: Does my team know specifically what they/we are working towards? Each member on your team also needs to know how success will be measured in their roles. It’s your job to help them understand. In many cases, you will have employees who are extremely ambitious and prioritize learning and career development. When they are “finished” with their assigned tasks or have mastered their job, they will be looking for additional responsibilities. Without knowing the team’s goals, you make it very difficult for self-starters to initiate projects on their own. 2. Keep Consistent 1-on-1 Meetings 1-on-1 meetings in general are extremely valuable, and they can become even more important in a remote environment. They allow you a chance to check-in, give and receive feedback, and get to know each other better. These meetings are not just for you to check in on your team’s task progression. Some meetings might even be more personal than professional. Help employees realize that this is their time to share new ideas, vent/express their concerns, or simply chat about that crazy Netflix show you both watch. The biggest benefit of these meetings can be getting and receiving feedback. If you have concerns with your team’s performance, express them. Nobody wants to be surprised at a performance evaluation or when they find out they’re getting let go. The best leaders know they are not perfect. They also allow their team members to share concerns over their own performance. Ask questions like:
    • Is there anything I can be doing better?
    • Do you have any ideas that I can work on to boost team morale or get people more engaged?
    • How can I help you progress towards the next step in your career? (Which leads us to our next strategy)
3. Be Their Career Coach Leaders should humble themselves enough to realize that their employees might not want to work for them forever. Understanding your employees’ career goals is an essential strategy for motivating them. When you understand their career goals, you can get them excited about taking on additional work related to their ideal next step. You help them connect the dots with their next goal, so they see a clear path with the skills and experience you’re providing them.  Use your 1-on-1s to ask how they are working towards their next step. Share online resources you’ve found. Let them lead if the situation calls for it. Lastly, don’t be stingy with professional development. Offer to send them to a conference (whether online or in-person) or pay for a certification and watch their work for you improve along with their motivation. 4. Recognition Recognition is another one of the most valuable motivation strategies in your remote leadership toolbelt. Many people like to be recognized for their hard work. Some prefer public vs. private recognition, while some prefer to own the recognition themselves. Ask your team how they like to be recognized, and plan strategies around each person.
  • Write a handwritten letter and send it to their house – this shows an extra step in effort beyond a simple email.
  • Provide a LinkedIn Recommendation – help their future employers see the great work they’ve done for you.
  • Dedicate some time in team meetings for you and your team members to recognize each other for favors, great work, or simply being supportive.
COVID-19 has created millions of remote workers, and motivation can be one of the biggest challenges to tackle. Your team will look to you for guidance, so be ready and show them you are making a conscious effort to keep all of them engaged. You may even find that these strategies allow you to allow more flexible work arrangements when things “get back to normal.”