Is 9-to-5 slowly becoming a history? With more and more companies ditching the traditional work week in favor of flexible options, remote teams are quickly becoming the new normal. Thanks to the rise of online tools, working remotely has never been easier. With the online clock in clock out system from Clockspot as well as cloud-based collaboration tools, managing a remote working team is as simple as managing one that’s in-office.
Are you considering a remote working team for your business? If so, there are some pros and cons to consider. As expected, no option is perfect. Remote working might just be the right option for your organization.
Pro: Increased Productivity
First, the most obvious pro is that workers who are remote are proven to be more productive. While this sounds like the opposite would be true, when workers are free to choose where they work, there’s a lot of benefits for both employees and employers. According to a study by Stanford, employees who telecommuted were significantly more productive and the turnover rate reduced by 50%. According to a study by Stanford, employees who telecommuted were significantly more productive and the turnover rate reduced by 50% Share on X
Why does remote working have such an impact on productivity? When people have time to organize their days as they choose, they’re more likely to spend quality time on work. It also reduces the overall work-life stress many people feel due to their 9-to-5 obligations. There are also much fewer distractions when working from home, and that’s something to consider.
Pro: Lowered Costs
Did you know employers also experience lowered costs when they have remote teams? It’s true. Tech company Dell reduced expenses by $12 million a year by allowing remote working options. Tech company Dell reduced expenses by $12 million a year by allowing remote working options. Share on X It simply costs less to let people work from home. Not only will you not need as big of an office space, but you’ll cut down on utility expenses.
Working remotely is also a cost-saver for employees. Not needing to commute is a huge money-saver for most people. The time saved from not having to commute is also a big perk for many workers.
Con: Communication
Unfortunately, everything isn’t perfectly simple with remote work. One of the biggest challenges is with communicating effectively. Face-to-face communication will always be simpler. When you work with remote teams, it’s not possible to pop into a neighboring office to ask a question.
Because most communication will have to be done through email, messenger, or phone, it’s less likely to be as effective. However, it’s not impossible to handle communications remotely as long as a strong system is used from the start to avoid confusion.
Con: Loneliness
One of the unspoken realities of remote work is the loneliness some employees feel. While many thrive when working on their own, others crave the company culture than an office provides. There’s no office chat, meetings, or getting coffee with coworkers when everyone works from their individual homes.
If companies want to keep their employees feeling like part of a team, they’ll need to work hard to create a company culture of connectedness. This isn’t something that’s easily done over an internet connection, though it’s not impossible.
Which Is Best: Remote Or In-Office?
Ultimately, there is no perfect solution. As you can see from the list above, there are many perks of allowing workers to telecommute. Not only will you have access to a larger pool of employees, but those employees are likely to have a healthier work/life balance.
However, not always the grass is greener on the other side. You’ll still need to deal with unique challenges like a lack of communication and connectedness. At the end of the day, no option is perfect, but one might be a better fit for your organization’s needs.
Smith Willas is a freelance writer, blogger, and digital media journalist. He has a management degree in Supply Chain & Operations Management and Marketing and boasts a wide-ranging background in digital media.
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