If you recall last year’s popular articles and social media posts about the upcoming trends in project management, you will definitely find there a point about remote work

Now, we can distinctly see a real boom in remote jobs and virtual teams. Statistics never lie and the research by FlexJobs proves it: approximately 5.2% of workers in the USA currently work from home.

A growing number of modern employees have been spending part of their time working from a remote place doing the rest duties in the office. 

There are many reasons why people prefer working remotely. Don’t you believe that virtual teams will prevail in the future? Just look at the following numbers (relevant in 2020):

  • 99% of remote workers desire to continue working remotely. This number is amazing, right?
  • 82% of such employees have less stress.
  • People who act remotely are 35-40% more productive.
  • 60% of individuals save money thanks to virtual work.
  • Finally, 44% of remote workers travel often.

The truth is: in 2020, businesses are embracing virtual work options more than ever before.

What is Remote Work?

Remote work means a full-time or part-time, predominantly project-based job that an individual is performing outside the company’s office. Yes, it is about a comfortable workspace at home, in a coffee, a car, from the beach, or perhaps from a special coworking area.

At first sight, it looks simple and beneficial: you only need a laptop, tablet or even a smartphone, and the Internet power. However, is it easy to provide comfort around and properly distribute time and workload from outside the office, especially when so many factors can distract?

What does distributed work means?

What Are the Types and Structures of Remote Teams?

  • A fully remote team is the option when a company does not have central offices and everyone works from home or from other places. There are many remote companies that are considered leaders in their industries, for example, Buffer or GitLab.
  • A distributed office hub is an option meaning that a company decides to set up small offices in different cities, so the team becomes distributed. The executives must decide who works in each localized team and define their roles because the workplace is geographically divided.
  • A team with flexible schedules is a kind of hybrid approach where individuals aren’t fully remote or working from distributed hubs – but they’re also not in the same place all the time. For example, some organizations allow their employees to work from home a few days a week.

Remote Work Benefits

Better health

Sometimes no office means no stress. A remote employee will have higher morale than his/her in-office coworkers.  Providing individuals with a chance to work remotely, employers are nurturing less stressed-out workers.

No need to wake up early

Many people like to sleep. You can just get straight out of bed and begin work. But many will admit, that sometimes it’s extremely hard to do. A remote job may save you two hours at least.

Flexible lifestyle

People often want to work remotely because this is a great opportunity for them to get a more flexible lifestyle. There is no need to stay in the office during a set time frame, no need to follow dress codes and so on. A remote employee can focus on the things that matter outside the office. 

It is especially actual for people who want to attain further education. They do not have a strict schedule in a permanent workplace, so it’s pretty easier for them to pursue a Master’s degree or continuing education course during the day.

Improved productivity

Flexibility leads to increased productivity. Very often distributed teams are more likely to put in extra efforts in their jobs, in comparison to in-office workers.

Cost savings

When a team is fully-distributed, employers may note decreased overhead from money saved on costs like office furniture and rent.

No need to listen to your co-workers arguing

Let’s admit that not everyone works well in the office. There’s always someone who asks too many questions, need help permanently, bump into a chair, and so on. 

For anyone who is involved in the creation and idea generation, this can be a real problem. The only option is to go to another room or work virtually.

New passion

Distributed teams tend to perform their best work outside of the office. They are more inspired; they enjoy their surroundings and can filter all distractions around.

People who have a chance to work from home see it as a reward for their excellent work. They are motivated to continue to surpass their work objectives to continue living the lifestyle that they appreciate.

Engaged employees

Managers often propose distributed work opportunities to keep people happy and engaged. If you ask your colleagues about such an opportunity, they’d probably quit their job for one that offered virtual work.

Remote Work Pitfalls

Hindered communication

Unfortunately, very often, distributed employees are not good at in-person meetings. In the software development environment, video calls are the simplest way to run daily meetings as a remote and this is a real solution.

Loneliness

Some kind of isolation and loneliness will set in once remote workers see how their team members enjoy team building activities or lunch together while they sit at home. 

When it comes to maintaining work communication, the lack of in-person human interaction is a real issue. That’s why sometimes it’s useful to visit the office if you have a chance.

24/7 is not the best option

People appreciate working remotely because it gives them the freedom to form their own schedule but not as it allows their schedule to be 24/7. 

For employers, it’s also not a good idea to expect remote employees to work nonstop. Otherwise, they’ll quickly burn out and lose their passion for their position.

The stereotype about the imitation of work

There is an opinion that distributed workers don’t actually work. This is a lie. Remote employees do not sit all day in bed in their pajamas, working once in awhile. They act at the same level as those who commute to the office each day.

remote work advantages

The Role of Technologies in Enabling Businesses to Go Remote

Distributive work can’t be possible without high technologies that enable it. However, not only the Internet and cloud computing phone plans make remote work possible. You will also need an emailing system, some combination of messengers, cloud docs, video conferencing, and task management software.

Nowadays there are numerous smart tools that are created for distributed teams: from apps that allow creating wireframes to online roadmap tools for product managers, complex trackers for engineers, and lots more.

‍What are the jobs that can be done remotely?

As technology and digital workspaces continue to advance, remote work is becoming more common in various industries. 

For some businesses, it looks quite natural (software development, tech, freelancing, etc.), while for some areas it is a bit more surprising (law, education, or healthcare). Nowadays remote jobs can be found in nearly any sphere. 

Final thoughts

If you want to try remote work, do not hesitate and research your options. Use professional networks, remote job boards, and lists of fully-distributed companies. Start working from home today and perhaps you will find out more advantages than pitfalls. 

There are plenty of reasons why people prefer remote work instead of the traditional office setup today. Working from your favorite location can provide more job satisfaction, flexibility, and effectiveness. After all, what could be better for both workers and employers?