Many businesses across the world have started implementing remote work arrangements for their employees. Such a setup has been made possible by the development of technologies that enable professionals to work irrespective of their geographical locations.
Remote working is not new. Also known as telecommuting, it has been around for a few decades now. By definition, it is the way or ability of a professional to work outside the office using tools, including laptops, smartphones, and digital applications. It is a working arrangement wherein employees are not in the office. They are away from their employer and colleagues but are still working. Some organizations even employ freelancers or professionals who work remotely full-time.
Remote working requires professionals to perform the core duties of their jobs despite not being confined in the office. While it is an ideal work arrangement, it also poses a few challenges that can significantly affect the productivity of employees. The following are some of the challenges — and their solutions — of working remotely.
#1: Difficulty in communication
Remote working creates difficulty in communication, as it is harder to talk to a person who is in another location compared to face-to-face conversations. When there is difficulty in communication, tasks that require collaboration may suffer. Moreover, when communicating using only a messaging application or email, you are not visible. Thus, there are no body language and nonverbal cues to help individuals communicate better. Another communication issue that remote workers face is there are times when they are out of the loop, resulting in missed meetings and failure in coordination.
The solution:
For communication to not feel fragmented and to address its gaps when working remotely, communicating as much as possible and adopting the appropriate digital tools are vital. Talk to your boss, colleagues, or team when necessary. Clarify tasks. Offer suggestions. Ask questions for items that you might misunderstand. You can utilize video conferencing tools if basic messaging applications are not enough. Video conferencing applications are a powerful digital tool that enables professionals to conduct meetings face-to-face although virtually. Nevertheless, for remote meetings that do not require people to show their faces, messaging applications may suffice.
#2: Trouble managing time
Mismanagement of time is a problem many remote workers face. Whether you are working from home, at the beach, or at a mountaintop vacation home, you will encounter enough distractions. From unwashed dishes in the sink or the refreshing view of the beach to the cold weather and a soft duvet, distractions will fight hard to get your attention. It is easy to get sidetracked and interrupted by the many things surrounding you.
The solution:
When working remotely, you should have self-discipline and control over your time. Otherwise, you will waste valuable time. Build a schedule that works for you and stick to it unwaveringly. Set deadlines and strictly follow them. Follow a productivity technique that works for you — it can be as simple as creating a to-do list based on priorities. While the solutions to improve your time management sound easy, they require patience and determination. You may utilize time and project management applications to help strengthen your resolve and enhance discipline.
#3: Keeping track of tasks and progress
Tracking tasks and productivity is a complex work procedure. It is even more complex when it involves managing several people — working remotely can amplify its difficulty. Remote workers often are professionals who value their independence and constantly bugging them for updates regarding their tasks might seem too much for them. Constant reminders can be annoying.
The solution:
Setting specific dates to send progress reports for tasks and deadlines for every deliverable is the first step to solving the issue of difficulty in tracking the progress of tasks. Project management tools are available to support your goal of managing tasks and people more efficiently. Look for a project management tool where you can add multiple projects and collaborators — the people who are working on ongoing projects. By adding collaborators, you will be able to see the tasks they are working on, those they have finished, and any hindrances they might be encountering.
#4: Time zone differences
Relying on your colleagues when you work in different time zones can cause inconveniences. You might just be starting your day when your teammate is going to bed — such a situation can put your team out of sync. While remote work arrangements allow businesses to hire and keep talents from across the globe, without established work systems that would address the issue of time differences, collaborating on tasks when teammates are scattered around the world can be a needlessly demanding undertaking.
The solution:
We do not want to infringe on the independence of remote workers; however, setting productively guidelines on approaching tasks, collaboration, and reporting is beneficial. Moreover, if possible, encourage or set a regular work schedule for remote workers to know when their availability. Remote workers should be able to enjoy their freedom, but they should be flexible enough to respond to queries about urgent tasks. Letting collaborators work on a single project management application that also has an interactive calendar that shows tasks, their progress, and deadlines is another technique to solve the issues caused by time zone differences.
#5: Working too much
When work and personal life overlap, overworking can be a consequence. Remote work can lead to work-life unbalance or worse burnout. While employees can switch off after their 9-to-5 shift, remote workers have the tendency to work until late at night or even until midnight just to finish their tasks. Some even start working at night and end the following morning. They stay in the work mindset indefinitely, disrupting their personal life. Working too much can hurt your personal life. Your physical and mental health can suffer. Therefore, it is important to have strong work-life boundaries as a remote worker.
The solution:
Avoid overworking by setting and sticking to start and end times. After your set work hours, create physical boundaries between you and your workspace. You should also turn off all work notifications; hence, be clear with your colleagues and boss when you are logging off. During your work hours, utilize all tools that can assist you in completing your tasks. If you deal with electronic documents, you can integrate an online document editor and e-signature application into your processes to fast-track your document workflows. Instead of using email, use chat or voice or video call applications for faster communication.
If you are a remote worker, you need to identify the challenges you face to solve them properly. While some challenges only require self-discipline, better communication, and ingenious ways of approaching tasks, you can look for and utilize digital tools to be more productive and efficient.