The myths of remote working.
1. You can’t trust remote workers.
A common question we hear office managers ask is “How can you trust an employee to work from home?” Response: “How can you trust an employee to work in the office?” Bottom line, if you have the right people then trust isn’t a concern.
If your team member is struggling or not meeting deadlines, often one of two things has happened:
1. You haven’t clearly communicated the expectation of the team member and supported them appropriately to complete their tasks.
2. You’ve hired the wrong person, and you need to look at your hiring process. For remote workers you need to ensure you hire people that can adapt to the freedom and autonomy.
2. Remote workers are less productive.
A recent study by Harvard Business Review found that remote employees
contribute almost a full day more productivity per week versus employees in an office. A full day a week!
It’s easy to assume that someone who works remotely is more distracted because they don’t have a manager keeping tabs on them.
Estimates from a recent study by University of California, Irvine, show that refocusing your efforts after just one interruption can take up to 23 minutes. Remote workers avoid interruptions which people encounter in the office environment, and most importantly, they don’t lose the time needed to refocus after the interruption.
3. Remote working is lonely.
Working remotely does not mean being holed up like Walter White in his isolated New Hampshire cabin all day. It’s true that folks who work remotely may choose to work alone in their home on occasions. But that’s not their only option.
In a recent study of remote work by Buffer, 19% of remote workers feel that loneliness is their biggest struggle with working remotely. That’s why we are passionate about using the term work from ‘anywhere’, rather than work from ‘home’.
Experiencing feelings of loneliness is natural when working this way, but you’re not restricted to working from home. Coffee shops, libraries, and co-working spaces are popular among remote workers. New sites like Workfrom are collating feedback of remote workers to curate the best public locations for getting stuff done. There are even startups focused on bringing remote workers into unoccupied spaces, like restaurants, during work hours.
The social aspect of work may be more deliberate, but certainly not diminished in a remote work setting.
4. Remote work increases costs.
Some people assume that the IT requirements actually increase the cost of employing a remote worker. Overall, this is simply not true. Admittedly there may be added initial shipping costs to provide desks and equipment to someone wherever they’re located. Overall, however, remote workers end up being cheaper.
Overhead costs actually decrease because larger office spaces are not needed, reducing money spent on sky-high rent, furniture, maintenance, and in-office amenities such as coffee, food, and printers (you know who you are). Not to mention the reduced carbon footprint of the company due to employees’ lack of commutes, it would make even Leonardo DiCaprio proud!
5. Remote workers are lazy.
The unfortunate truth is that, when you have the right people, and they are trusted to get their work done from anywhere, they have a tendency to overwork. Often, the catalyst for overworking is driven by a feeling of guilt. It may seem strange to use the term guilt, but for many people, when you transition from an office-based role to remote, you feel very fortunate that you are able to structure your day with flexibility and freedom.
The harsh reality is this rate of work (coupled with the feelings of guilt) is unsustainable and can lead to burn out. This is when having great people around you, along with strong supportive practices and rituals for remote workers proves crucial to overcoming the initial guilt curve.
With fewer interruptions than in an office environment, remote workers are able to place more structure in their days, therefore being more productive.
Finally, remote workers even put on pants every day (although, we’ve never asked our teams to psychically stand during a video call just in case!).
This is an extract from our book Ready for Remote. It’s our manifesto for the future of work. It tells the story of how we build and nurture remote teams; the tools we use and the principles we follow.
It’s a story of freedom, purpose and productivity. In the book we openly offer up some best-practice advice for anyone thinking of building remote teams.
Available now on paperback or digital
At 22 North we’re changing the way people work for the better, by challenging the status quo and helping companies work remotely. We help companies create and nurture remote teams; the mindset required, the tools to use and the principles to follow. If we can help, we’d love to talk to you.
