Remote Working: An Introduction
Today, more and more people are breaking away from the idea of a conventional office and moving to work.
Being present in the same workspace for seven to eight hours every five days a week is no longer the norm. According to Forbes, recent statistics point out how at least 97% of today’s employees don’t want to return to the office full-time.
The advent of the Coronavirus pandemic has brought with it several questions about the traditional work-from-office system given the necessity of social distancing and staying indoors.
Some trends that have gained popularity in the remote working cultures are:
Travel working
Travel working or workcation is a method of working virtually while taking extended vacations.
As younger workers continue to experiment with the different paths that they can choose to strike a better work-life balance, this trend has become increasingly common.
It lets employees work while being in a location they most enjoy and falls under the ‘digital nomad’ lifestyle.
Co-working spaces
The demand for working models that offer greater flexibility is increasing. And so are the options for co-working spaces.
Beyond being a space dedicated solely to work, today’s co-work spaces also offer better comfort and accommodation. To provide an independent office experience, such spaces also provide additional amenities like soundproof rooms, food, etc.
Shrinking work weeks
Now that this approach has already been tried and tested in different countries across Europe, many workspaces are pushing for shorter workweeks in other parts of the world.
This concept focuses on yielding the maximum productive outcomes through four or four-and-a-half days a week and then taking a long weekend.
What does the future look like?
As remote work goes on to gain popularity, it is also bringing in newer digital reforms such as employee collaboration and data management reliant on cloud technology.
Modern-day employees are now determined to challenge the living-to-work model and transform it into a working-to-live model.
Here are some trends that are set to gain prevalence as remote working becomes common:
-
Going global through freelancing
As maximum workplaces now rely on virtual operations, they have gained the freedom to hire employees from all across the world.
The new-age workforce comprises employees hired on a contractual basis, outsourced teams, and talent-on-demand from various freelancing websites.
With most data being moved to the cloud, businesses can run in smarter and more efficient ways. Many are also able to practice increased cost-effectiveness as infrastructural expenditure decreases.
Several platforms now facilitate virtual collaboration and offer seamless communication to employees through features such as video calls, virtual conferencing, live chat, etc.
-
24/7 work cycles
If markets continue to become increasingly globalized, the usual nine-to-five work cycle will be to a reformed 24/7 work cycle.
Increased flexibility from both the company’s side as well as the employee’s side will let people work as they prefer, either through the day or through the night.
And since at least someone will be working at all points in time, brands will experience productivity throughout the week without keeping any physical offices open.
-
Unified communication
When the office space becomes widely distributed over different states as well as countries, the need for unified communication across the cloud system becomes imperative.
Unified communication allows for uninterrupted interaction within the business ecosystem along with better accessibility anytime and anywhere.
Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) provides businesses with different choices of virtual exchange of information and work-related communication.
These include instant messaging, virtual meetings, group video conferencing, and other such services using cloud technology.
-
Vitality of cybersecurity
As work from home increases its presence globally, bigger amounts of customer and company data are being stored online.
Since so much important information is stored, installing cybersecurity software and taking appropriate steps for ensuring the same is essential.
In addition to maintaining a high level of data security, it is also necessary to spread cybersecurity awareness and make employees understand the importance it holds.
Software that provides smooth data access along with the highest levels of security should be emphasized. Such tools also help cut costs and offer greater flexibility to the business and its employees.
-
Boosting agent morale
A remote working environment can also have its disadvantages.
Humans, by nature, are social creatures. Such extended periods demanding productivity without any offline experiences with co-workers can greatly demotivate them.
Fatigue and stress levels can also arise when people are working in a lonely setting. In such situations, businesses also need to integrate ideas and visions that allow for advanced interaction through online workstations.
Making use of technology like Augmented Reality (AR) can be beneficial. It is important to keep employee well-being in mind as the world continues its shift to the virtual realm.
Summary
Given how drastically the last couple of years have altered the markets, it is probable that changes will keep happening.
Remote working seems like a trend that is here to stay. To continue being relevant, one needs to keep aiming more comfortable virtual work culture.
Author Bio
Kritik Verma is a marketing enthusiast with a specialization in digital marketing. He is currently working at Servetel, a leading cloud telephony provider offering cloud services like IVR Solutions, Toll-Free Number, Virtual number, Click to call, and many more to boost business success. He enjoys reading about the latest digital marketing trends
