Teleworking
New technologies and the digital transformation of many companies and sectors, as well as the emergence of new professions linked to the online world, had paved the way of teleworking. A bomb that has long wanted to explode and that with the arrival of the pandemic after COVID, it did.
However, it has been the restrictions implemented in these recent years that have brought remote working to the table as a global debate. This has become a challenge to face for professionals and companies, so in this article we are going to talk about what are the advantages and disadvantages of telecommuting? Or better yet, what are the benefits and drawbacks for both workers and employers?
The concept of telework
Teleworking is a form of work that is carried out at a distance, that is, in a location far from a central office or production facilities, with the help of ICTs: Information and Communication Technologies, that facilitate the physical separation and communication.
The development of ICT in recent years has been essential for teleworking to become a perfectly viable option for both companies and employees. However, at this point, and although it may seem obvious, it should be remembered that teleworking has its limitations and that not all companies or all professionals can currently opt for it. On the contrary, there are professions that are ideal for teleworking, such as: programmers, designers, community managers, writers, translators, teachers, illustrators, accountants, etc.
The concept therefore encompasses both the action of working remotely and outside the office and the technical action, based on the use of new technologies. This is the reason why the prefix «tele» is included in the term, implying that teleworkers are:
- People working from their homes
- Freelancers and digital profiles that work from a coworking and shared workspaces, or any establishment of any kind with internet connection.
- Any professional who obtains economic returns from work activities in any place that is not a corporate office.
The advantages of teleworking
Let’s take a look at the benefits of teleworking for both employers and employees.
For employees:
1. Easier to reconcile work, personal and family life. This benefit, in turn, reduces anxiety and stress and improves employee mood and happiness.
2. Savings in transportation, since there is no need to travel to the office, either by bus, subway , train or in your own vehicle.
3.More economical and healthier food, since much less fast food and/or precooked food is consumed because it can be cooked at home.
4.Increased productivity. The time spent on work issues is better managed and the work is carried out in a conducive and customized environment.
5.Time flexibility. In line with the above, by not being tied to a fixed set of hours, time is better managed and distributed for both work and personal purposes.
For employers:
1.Higher productivity, as argued by workers in favor of teleworking.
2.Greater personal commitment of the employees to the company and its values and objectives by being flexible with them.
3.Attracting talent. Offering full or partial teleworking has become a competitive advantage for many companies, which can be a decisive point to attract attractive profiles.
4.Reduction of business expenses. With the staff working at home, there are savings in rent, electricity, water and other costs of having offices at full capacity.
5.Digitalization of the workforce. Teleworking involves mastering technological tools and platforms for using and sharing information, work material, communicating… For all these reasons, workers need to acquire digital skills.
The disadvantages of teleworking
For employees:
1.There is an increase in distractions of any kind: dependent elderly people, small children, many people sharing the household, housework…
2.It is more difficult to separate work from personal and family life, and it is likely that more hours than necessary are spent on work-related issues, since the computer is always at hand and accessible.
3.Equipment, electricity and Internet expenses, which used to be paid by the company, are now passed on to the employee. Therefore, this is an issue that must also be managed with the company.
4.Loss of contact with colleagues and the team, which although it can be maintained by digital communication tools, it is not as direct and effective as it can be in the office.
5.Difficulty in getting organized. If you are a person who has a hard time keeping up with everything, having to get organized on your own can be more stressful.
For employers:
1.Absenteeism, which was already a problem before, continues to be a problem. It is difficult to verify that staff are actually working remotely.
2.Equipment costs. Just as it is an advantage not to have to pay an office rent and the expenses derived from it, it is also a disadvantage to have to provide equipment and materials to employees to telework. It is necessary to manage well the economic resources that are going to be invested in it.
3.Synergies between departments. For managers and professionals in charge of managing teams of people, it is a real challenge to coordinate everything with staff working remotely.
4.Keep a closer eye on your employees to make sure they are achieving their objectives. It can lead to conflicts, as employees may feel that they are being watched.
5.Not knowing your employees well. Not working with them on a face-to-face basis means that employers do not know their employees well and therefore their qualities and weaknesses.
If you are interested in finding companies that implement teleworking, go to our website and take a look at our job offers.
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