The Cons Of Remote Work: The Not-So-Romantic Facts On Working From Home
It's not all peaches and cream. Remote work has many downsides and challenges.
The Not-So-Romantic Facts About Remote Work
This two-part article covers the cons and challenges of remote work, followed by the pros and benefits in next week's post.
For most of my working adult life (even before the world wide web), I pursued: job flexibility, the ability to work remotely from anywhere in the world, and passive income streams that will give me creative freedom. I made it. I accomplished these goals.
Nonetheless, I did not expect to encounter moments of loneliness as a byproduct of accomplishing my goals. I’ve known that leaders, entrepreneurs, and artists struggle with loneliness as we often retreat to think, rethink, and create, but it had avoided me until recently. Add C-19 and 2 new pandemic babies to the mix. It's a social isolation cocktail.
Connection is vital for our health, well-being, and happiness. We are built and wired for social connection. That is one of the reasons I started this newsletter.
While working remotely is a dream come true for many working professionals, data from WFH Research shows that 31% want to return to the office. The same study shows 22% of workers never want to return to the office and 46% want a mix of hybrid options. A whopping 15% of global employees would quit or start looking for a WFH job if mandated to return to the worksite 5+ days a week.
Workers and companies have been hit with these sudden changes in how we work and where we work from, and all the details this new working scenario entails for all parties.
Challenges are opportunities for change. The difficulties that remote work presents to the global economy are real, and thus leaders from different sectors of the workforce and various industries need to evaluate the best course. They could ask, for example: how could we, as an enterprise, foster social connection and healthy work-life balance and well-being while maintaining steady productivity and performance?
Some of the challenges of remote work:
Remote workers may feel isolated and disconnected from their colleagues and the broader community.
Remote workers may find it challenging to "switch off" and relax without clear boundaries between work and personal life.
Remote workers may find maintaining a healthy work-life balance challenging, which may lead to burnout.
Remote workers may find it challenging to communicate effectively and collaborate with their colleagues without face-to-face interactions.
Remote workers may find it challenging to stay focused and productive with distractions at home and personal responsibilities to tackle.
Remote workers must be self-disciplined and self-motivated to be productive and meet deadlines.
Remote workers may be more vulnerable to cyber-attacks and thus need to be more vigilant about protecting their devices and data.
Remote workers in management positions may have difficulty providing support and assistance to their remote team.
Data points out that working from home and hybrid options will become more permanent worldwide as the benefits exceed the challenges, for most employees and employers. It’s a matter of time and research for more organizations to define the best practices and take the necessary steps to support their workers.
Remote work can be particularly challenging for women and mothers who often shoulder the majority of caregiving and household responsibilities. This was exacerbated, especially at the peak of the pandemic, when child care (often very expensive) and some elderly homes closed. The challenge of balancing work and caregiving responsibilities can lead to feelings of guilt and stress. Mothers may find it challenging to receive support from their managers to accommodate their needs with flexible scheduling or breastfeeding breaks.
Women and mothers are successfully founding and/or leading top organizations worldwide. They have come a long way in the workforce, but gender bias and patriarchy continue to play out in many ways. There is a need for more change and I think that remote work may pose a disadvantage in terms of recognition and advancement, which can perpetuate existing gender and maternal biases.
What challenges, if applicable, have you encountered with remote or hybrid work?
Stay tuned for next week's deeper dive into recent research showing the benefits of remote work.
Further reading/listening:
"The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Remote Work" by Nicholas Bloom, James Liang, John Roberts, and Zhichun Jenny Ying, published in the National Bureau of Economic Research in 2020, which found that the shift to remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic led to a significant increase in productivity.
"The Gender Divide in Remote Work" by McKinsey & Company, published in 2021, which found that women are more likely to be negatively impacted by the shift to remote work than men.
,B. (2020), "Challenges for work–life balance during COVID-19 induced nationwide lockdown: exploring gender difference in emotional exhaustion in the Indian setting", Gender in Management, Vol. 35 No. 7/8, pp. 705-718.
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Your fellow human,
-Jorge Fusaro