Undertrained? How to Take Charge of Your Professional Growth
November 14, 2024
Share this post:
Back in 2020, the beginning of the pandemic brought many changes to companies and their workforce; the most significant was the shift from office work to remote work. Two years later, some employees and employers remain skeptical about embracing the laptop lifestyle. Fortunately for those still deciding between returning onsite or staying home, it’s an excellent time to weigh the pros and cons of working remotely.
Though telecommuting is not new, before Covid-19, the benefits of remote work were only for a few lucky workers and industries. Some companies had already planned hybrid working set-ups or long-term plans for allowing their employees to work remotely. The pandemic accelerated this transition, and even though the green light has been given for returning to the office, many still prefer the laptop lifestyle.
Here are some key stats and facts to understand a little bit more about teleworking and why many may think remote working has many more advantages than disadvantages.
IT, Human Resources, Recruitment, Education, Marketing, and Accounting are friendlier career paths for working from home, but that doesn’t mean professionals outside these sectors can’t experience the benefits of remote work.
If you’re considering transitioning to work from home, or you’re unsure if you want to return to the office, you should consider the environment where you think you’ll be most effective. Here are a few pros and cons of working remotely.
Since remote work has become a trending topic on Social Media and probably among your friends and family, you’ve probably wondered, is remote working really worth it? Or what are some advantages of working remotely? Here are 5 benefits of this particular way of working to answer those questions:
As mentioned before, having the ability to work from anywhere at any time is the main benefit for many remote workers. Some remote opportunities allow employees to take breaks when they’re needed, go on trips without requesting vacation time, and even change their place of residence and relocate. There are no longer geographic or time limitations.
Some of the main struggles of in-office workers is having a good work-life balance. Spending 8 or more hours at the office leaves no room for family, practicing hobbies, or even having a healthy diet. Some huge advantages of working remotely are avoiding lengthy commutes, having more quality time with your kids, preparing and having all your meals on time, and dressing more comfortably.
Including an exercise routine in your day-to-day and maintaining a balanced diet are two key aspects for keeping both mind and body healthy, but with an in-office job, it is nearly impossible to keep these two on point. An important benefit of working remotely is that you’re able to put better focus on caring for your physical and mental wellbeing. Also, instead of spending two or three hours commuting, you can invest that time in going to the gym or participating in outdoor activities and sports.
You’ll be shocked to know how much your productivity can decrease with lengthy meetings, office gossip, phone calls, and coworkers’ interruptions. In fact, working remotely increases innovation by 63% and work engagement by 75%, allowing employees to focus and establish a routine that will improve their concentration. Basically, with remote work, you’re able to set up shop in a comfortable workspace, turn down the noise of a traditional office, and buckle down to complete your tasks.
Another benefit of working remotely is saving money on transportation, buying lunch, and even purchasing a business wardrobe. Commuting takes many hours from your day and a lot of cash from your pocket, especially with skyrocketing gas prices. Therefore, if you want to spend your hard-earned salary on things you enjoy or simply save up for a trip, car, or house, you should consider switching to the laptop lifestyle.
After having the dessert, it’s time to talk about some of the challenges when having your office at home. As with any other aspect of work-life, the following cons can be nicely mitigated by having the correct approach. If you’re wondering what the main disadvantages of remote work are, here are a few things for you to keep an eye on.
This is probably the first concern you should keep in mind when setting up a workstation at home. Your effectiveness will rely on your internet connection, cellphone, computer, and any other apps you will need to perform your duties. Whether your company provides a welcoming kit or you have to invest in the appropriate hardware and software, your productivity will benefit from having the right set of tools.
In some cases, transitioning to working remotely might mean making a career change and looking for a new job. Even under the best circumstances, starting a new job can be overwhelming, especially if you have to learn the ins and outs of a new role without any personal interaction. Fortunately, more companies are implementing good practices to overcome this disadvantage and alleviate negative feelings during remote onboarding.
Another disadvantage some people may be overwhelmed by when working remotely, especially those who live alone, is the lack of human interaction. Though technology will allow you to stay in touch with your friends from work, nothing compares to the chitchat in the hallway or during lunch.
Feelings of loneliness can be the main source of depression and productivity decline, so keep an eye on work buddies regardless of whether you are a team leader or a member. Avoiding this can be quite simple, you can try organizing lunch dates, team-building exercises, or social gatherings.
Work-life balance can have two completely different outcomes when working remotely. You already know the benefit: having more time for family, hobbies, etc. But what about the disadvantages? Many teleworkers struggle to unplug and set boundaries between their work and home life.
It could start with just responding to emails after clocking out, but if you’re not careful, you could find yourself working more than 10 hours a day. Remember to keep separate spaces and schedules for personal and professional areas of your life.
Working remotely pushes workers to find new strategies for developing a teamwork culture. Employees should learn how to keep the flow of working processes fluent through online communication. This means that leading and building team morale and engagement can be challenging since checking progress isn’t as easy as walking across the office to check in on each employee. If you’re in charge of a team, remember to be inventive about promoting a sense of belonging and self-ownership.
Working remotely has a special meaning at gpac. As laptop lifestyle promoters, carefully crafting a special online training program and a set of digital tools encourages the gpac workforce to embrace a digital working model and provides a smooth transition to new onboards. In the long run, the goal is for gpac recruiters to be able to use this opportunity as if running their own business, allowing them to experience each one of the mentioned benefits.
If you haven’t made up your mind yet, consider these working remotely pros and cons before making a decision. Remember, as with any other change, it could take some time before you work things out, so be consistent and be sure you’ll find a routine that makes you feel comfortable.
Contributed by Luis Arellano
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO FIND?
