On the Other Side: 3 Pros and Cons of Working Remotely

Working remotely has certainly been a game-changer for many businesses. It has opened doors that many never thought were possible and allowed the workplace to become much more versatile. However, there are still some downsides to working remotely as well.

More and more businesses have started to jump on the opportunity to allow employees to work remotely but it may not always be the best idea for the business. What sets working remotely apart and where should you draw a line?

We’ve put together a few quick pros and cons of working remotely to put it into perspective.

3 Pros of Working Remotely

1. Broaden the hiring range. With opportunities for working remotely, it means you can broaden the range for hiring. You no longer have to force your desired pick for the position to move or relocate and you don’t have to settle and hire someone local every time. You can hire whoever best fits the position needs and allow them to work from their location.
2. Reduce overall expenses. There are a number of resources at your disposal. You can significantly reduce expenses by plugging into various Coworking apps and letting these apps help keep your business organized from scheduling to communication and everything in between.
3. A Balance of Happiness. Working remotely allows you to set aside work when you need to focus on family and to personalize your workspace and time to best fit your needs. With the ability to work remotely, you can conform your schedule to what will work for you, within reason.

3 Cons of Working Remotely

1. Lack of Sociability. Working remotely cuts off much of your human interaction and socialization that you get in the workplace. While you’re there to get work done, you also build valuable relationships and you feel supported. Working remotely can cause you to feel isolated and alone.
2. It can be hard to focus. Working from home is a great way to balance but it’s also easy to get caught up in distractions and not get things done. When working remotely, you must be able to set aside time and break away from anything that might distract you or halt your productivity.
3. Where is the accountability? In an office, it is a simple task to address accountability and to discipline or have conversations if expectations are not being appropriately met. However, when you have employees working remotely there isn’t much to hold those individuals accountable. For that reason, it may be challenging to retain employees or to obtain quality work and productivity.

Conclusion

As you can see, working remotely or hiring employees to work remotely can have its ups and downs. Working remotely goes both ways. It adds a great deal of both flexibility and responsibility and it’s ultimately up to you to be able to find the perfect balance between the two.

Whether you’re an employee or an employer, you must be able to find a balance and make working remotely work for you.