The traditional work system is among many sectors significantly affected by the pandemic. Many organizations shifted to remote working to adhere to movement restrictions and curfews. Two years later, things returned to usual, although some businesses stuck to the remote working model.
Approximately 31% of Canadians fully work remotely, while the remainder chose in-person or a combination. Whichever model you embrace for your business, you can enjoy high productivity levels with a reliable management team behind it.
Both systems offer maximum benefits to various organizations depending on their needs and preferences. This blog will focus on the differences between remote and in-person work to help you make a more informed decision for your firm and employees.
What Is Remote Work?
Remote work is when the employees perform their allocated duties from a location of their preference rather than their employer’s office. It could be their home, a shared workspace, a personal office, or any other place they find perfect for working.
In remote working, the employer is located at a central office that monitors the employees for smooth operation. If you’ve wondered how remote working goes, you’re in the right place. Remote work combines reliable technology, a positive work culture, and practice-approved processes.
An existing and well-established organization can shift to remote work from in-person easier than when a new firm practices the model from the start. Most businesses aiming to embrace remote work as their primary system of operation usually kicks off after some months of in-person work for a stronger foundation.
Remote work tools
Another crucial aspect that keeps remote working alive and well is robust connectivity among the employees. A reliable internet connection and top-notch mobile technologies are essential for running businesses.
For effective communication, employers intending to introduce remote work to their firms should be willing to offer laptops, mobile phones, a fully paid internet connection, and other communication essentials.
The 21st century is a fascinating era for everyone to embrace technology in every field of life, including remote work. A digital workplace platform plays a crucial role in the wellness of the model by increasing flexibility, raising revenue, minimizing operational costs, and enhancing employee satisfaction.
Some examples of such platforms are communication tools (messaging), project collaboration tools (shared calendar and To-Do lists), workflow management tools (digital forms), content management tools (library-relevant software applications), and productivity tools.
Pros and Cons of Remote Working
Remote working boasts several benefits to organizations, including less comminuting time, maximum employee flexibility, better work-life balance, and saving on office space expenses. Employees also perform better in remote working, increasing the motivation to exceed expectations.
However, managers in remote work lack direct contact with their employees, which can raise the levels of work indiscipline. In addition, remote workers are faced with various distractions, especially at home.
What Is In-Person Working?
In-person working, the traditional and most popular model, involves employees to reporting to the office or work area physically. The managers also perform their responsibilities from the same work area, making allocating duties and monitoring the employees easier. You can find nearly all the features of remote in-person work, but with a physical touch.
The traditional model also embraces digital workplace platforms for better performance and high flexibility. Digital workplace in in-person working involves better communication tools to supplement physical communication, collaboration tools for better productivity and unified results, and workflow management tools.
Managers and team leaders mostly use these workflow management tools to monitor employees. The platforms have several benefits to in-person working organizations, including higher employee satisfaction, a better working environment, facilitates achievement of company goals, and better employee-management engagement.
Pros and Cons of In-Person Work
Some crucial benefits of in-person working compared to remote working are that employees enjoy maximum human connection amongst each other, filling emotional gaps.
Again, in-person working attracts innovation and creativity as different people brainstorm and develop the best ideas possible. Managers in in-person work are guaranteed good performance and high discipline since they can monitor the employees physically.
Even with that, in-person working can be costly regarding office rent and fuel consumed when driving to work. Furthermore, some employees might feel less motivated when constantly compared to their colleagues, affecting their productivity.
Remote vs In-Person Working
While remote and in-person working models have various benefits and drawbacks for an organization, there are certain factors that managers and business owners should consider before making their final decision.
To begin with, managers should consider their intended productivity levels. Remote working can be a good option for organizations aiming at achieving high productivity in the long run.
Another essential consideration is the financial strength of an organization. Remote working can be expensive initially, although things get better with time. Conversely, in-person work is costly since physical offices and transport channels are required.
Lastly, organizations should consider employees’ needs when weighing remote against in-person work. Some employees are vulnerable to isolation, which can significantly affect their performance if subjected to such situations.
