So, You Want to Work From Home!?

I've wanted to write an article on LinkedIn for a while now, but have hesitated because I haven't published much externally. So, upon the recommendation of my friend and colleague, Tony Cornett, I'm taking the plunge. (You can read Tony's take on using virtual recruiting to reduce bias, here.)

It seems like the entire professional world is learning about what it means to work remotely. You may be asking yourself, "Can I do this full-time? Do I even want to do this full-time? How did I get here? How do I work this?" (credit: Talking Heads) The simple answer to the first question is Yes, probably. For most of us, the answer to the second question is Hell Yes, once you get used to it. As you ponder what your life may look like after COVID-19, imagine these scenarios.

• You crave the sight of your co-workers' faces and urge them to turn on their webcams. I know, I know, it's hard to imagine that now, but it will happen. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of your life.
• You start showering in the morning because you actually want a decent lunch break to read, exercise, or catch up on a show. Noon showers were never the luxury I thought they'd be, so I ditched them a long time ago. I'd rather feel refreshed, clean, and ready for the day at the start of my day, not halfway through.
• You find yourself having to explain to your family that you are actually working and that, no, you can't do whatever you want just because you're at home. Requests to run errands at a moment's notice or mid-afternoon phone calls are my favorites!
• You start to see just how effective and productive you can be in a quiet space. Open office plans are great for hearing everyone else's conversations; not so great at allowing you to concentrate.
• You can schedule work to be done at your home without taking time off. Ok, so that may not be a positive, but when emergencies strike, you'll be glad that you can keep working without missing a beat.

Aside from the personal benefits that working from home afford, I'm intrigued and hopeful about the positive environmental and societal impact. A recent Forbes article by Laurel Farrer illustrates these benefits perfectly. And, honestly, her article is one of the best I've ever read related to remote work. Recovering wasted commuting time and gas savings are just the beginning (according to the EPA, the Transportation section accounts for nearly 29% of greenhouse gas emissions). Improving local economies, making meaningful progress on diversity and inclusiveness, and increasing employee satisfaction are other ways that are making remote work attractive to both employers and employees.

COVID-19 may very well prove to be the remote working catalyst that no one asked for. For every person clamoring to get back into the office, there will be another who doesn't want to give up the convenience, savings, and productivity that comes with working from home. Thanks to the infrastructure that Medidata has had in place for years, we were able to transition our employees to remote very quickly and a ton of our Remotians are stepping up to help our colleagues adjust to this new normal.

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Adam Starr is a Talent Acquisition Partner with Medidata, a Dassault Systèmes company. He lives and works from his home in Indianapolis, IN with his wife, Johanna, and rescue Yorkiepoo, Pickles! When he's not hiring amazing people to work with him, he's leading the Remotians Business Resource Group at Medidata for 500 full-time remote employees.

The opinions expressed in this article are entirely my own and do not necessarily reflect those of Medidata or Dassault Systèmes.