Is Homeworking The New Norm?

Homeworking has been steadily rising for some time, with approximately 30% of the total workforce having done so in 2019. And, as the current pandemic has seen it enforced temporarily, many are asking: is remote working here to stay, or will it simply be a fleeting event?

Personally, I don’t think homeworking is the new norm per se. Here, I explain why and explore some pros and cons.

The benefits

No more daily commuting

I’m not sure there’s anyone who misses their daily work commute – the time and money that working from home saves is incredibly beneficial. Many are also finding their work-life balance easier too with that extra time not spent travelling to and from work. Not to mention, it’s helping to look after our environment; the International Energy Agency (IEA) has reported that energy usage globally will fall by 6% this year.

Improved health

The mental and physical health benefits can’t be ignored either. As mentioned, we’re no longer having to sit in traffic or being delayed by public transport - that’s got to be good for mental wellbeing. Some people are using this time for a workout, and there's more time to cook something healthy in the evening too. Not to mention that it's less tempting to pick up "treats for the office" on the way back from lunch, and there's not as regular a supply of birthday cake either!

Increased productivity

Some businesses are finding their staff’s output is boosted as a result of less distractions at home. Having said that, I think this boost really depends on if work is purely task-based. If an outcome involves lots of collaboration, then it can take longer, as getting to that end point is more difficult remotely - the feedback loop is lengthened.

Better staff attraction

One of the biggest benefits for remote working for businesses is that you have access to a wider pool of talent. Homeworking means employees from further afield won’t be put off by a long commute. In fact, you may employ fantastic team members you wouldn’t have attracted otherwise. Your business will also appeal to those with disabilities who either can’t or would prefer not to commute for work.

The drawbacks

Employee burnout

Whilst increased productivity is a benefit, it could also have a drawback: employee burnout. Many are actually working longer hours remotely. Usually there are natural breaks throughout the day, particularly for office workers. People will go out on lunch, chat to a colleague as they pass them, and during their commute their mind isn’t consumed with work - at home, you just don’t have this natural punctuation. It’s no surprise that the rate of burnout has doubled during lockdown and 37% of businesses have actually experienced some sort of negative impact due to remote working.

Poor mental health

Our mental health is also being affected by the lack of collaboration and quick communication. We’re social creatures and enjoy being around colleagues. You can’t celebrate achievements in the same way either, which is such an important part of the workplace.

Video call fatigue

I’m not denying video calls are fantastic; they’ve proven essential for keeping connected during this time. However, they’re just not the same. When you’re in the office, it takes two minutes to have a catch up – but virtually, it can eat up 20 minutes of your day. Not to mention, the fact that looking at a screen for hours on end is draining too. The row of faces in team calls make it difficult to read people’s cues – something which actually uses more brain power. There’s the issue of time lag and poor internet connection too.

Learning

Finally, I'm concerned about the impact of 100% remote working on our learning and development. When you start a new job, so much of the way you learn is by seeing how others behave and interact. Now, new team members don’t have this opportunity, and managers have a more difficult task in spotting any areas where their team may need some support. Peer to peer learning is more difficult when everyone is remote too. Regular virtual mentoring and "show and tell" sessions are great but you can’t easily pull up a chair - you have to set up a call and share screens, which lacks a real connection. Once someone is completely up to speed, then the ability to work remotely can be brilliant - for both their productivity and mindset, but it's a tall order to be as effective at onboarding, training and peer to peer learning with all parties involved in seperate locations!

The future

Ultimately, I think there may be more drawbacks to homeworking than benefits - but the advantages shouldn’t be ignored. For the vast majority, this period has demonstrated that workers can be effective from home, and I do think that it’s important that employers continue to offer this flexibility and trust in the long-term, but there needs to be balance.

What this looks like really depends on the individual and the dynamics of their role and team environment. For instance, our clients’ tech teams seem to have coped better than some of their colleagues in other departments. There was already some remote working for many in tech, with well establised communication channels using the remote collaboration tools that have grown in popularity over this time, so it’s not been so much of a transition for them.

Because they’re better able to work at home, and with social distancing looking to be part of the foreseeable future, I think tech workers will likely be the last ones to go back into the office.

As for once the pandemic is over and remote working is no longer enforced, it’s expected that working from home will continue in some form for over 40% of the workforce. And so, it doesn’t appear that having a degree of homeworking is the new normal for everyone. I see the future being a mix of remote working and hot-desking, which has the added benefit of saving costs on office space too.

I think a key lesson is to remember that remote working has lots of benefits, but that it doesn’t benefit everyone at all times. So, it’s important not to take a one-size-fits-all approach. Continuously communicate with your team members – ask each individual how they feel and what is best for their role and situation. By doing this, you’ll be able to take the best course of action for every employee, and strike the perfect balance between remote and office working yourself.