The world of work is constantly changing. Although for a long time it only affected individual industries, digitalization and remote work constantly become more famous. Since the Covid-19 pandemic evolved, remote work outside the office and work from home gained popularity and was the solution for many companies. In connection with flexible working times, there are some challenges to overcome. But telecommuting also offers numerous benefits for employees and employers.
There is no fixed definition of the term “remote work”. The term remote work is generally used to refer to any form of work that is not performed in the company office. This can be both working at home or working in a hammock in Bali.
In addition to the local component, there is also a temporal component that differentiates ‘normal work’ from ‘remote work’. Remote work does not necessarily take place in the traditional 9-to-5 timeframe. Instead, remote workers spread their working hours flexibly throughout the day, not least because of different time zones, for example.
The fact that millions of people have worked from home in the last two years is not so much the result of normal development as a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic. The crisis has extremely accelerated the development that was taking place anyway. Numerous surveys indicate that many workers want to continue to take advantage of remote work in the future. This is because it brings with it numerous advantages.
Employer branding:
By enabling employees to work flexibly from anywhere and at any time, companies strengthen their employer branding and stand out from the competition. In some industries, especially the digital branch, the option of remote working is usually one of the minimum requirements. Employees which are allowed to work remotely are usually not just happier, but also have better mental and physical health.
Access to a larger talent pool:
Increasing urbanization has become a growing competitive disadvantage in recent years, especially for businesses in rural areas. Remote work gives business owners a much greater chance of finding qualified and suitable workers because they can then choose from a much wider population. This is also beneficial if employees with specific skills are needed, such as knowledge of a particular language or software package.
Information exchange and internal communication:
Clarifying tasks or problems at a colleague’s desk, knowing what’s happening in other departments – an office is also a place for information exchange. According to a Canadian statistic regarding “working from home: productivity and preferences” about one in five of the respondents reviewed a lack of communication as a reason why they don’t prefer remote work or home-office. The challenge for companies, therefore, is to find suitable ways so that internal communication does not suffer from telecommuting, but that the constant important exchange and flow of information can still take place.
The office won’t go extinct, in our opinion at Burst. Instead, we are certain that it will remain a crucial source of communication for employees. However, the office will serve largely as a focal point for brainstorming sessions, project planning, and idea sharing. We focused on creating open areas, lounges, and a chill vibe in our new workplace so that our staff feels just like at home but still have the option to work remotely if they want to.
