Remote work is not just a trend. It is a part of the culture of some of the fastest-growing companies such as Google and IBM. These corporate giants are increasingly becoming receptive to the idea of remote teams. So, if you haven’t embraced remote working yet, you better consider it.
1. Remote work means less productivity
One of the biggest misconceptions that perpetuated among employers is that remote workers actually don’t work. Employers tend to think that remote workers are more distracted because there is no one within their earshot to keep tabs on them. Such employees slack off and this hampers productivity.
However, in a study by the Harvard Business Review, the opposite rang true. According to the study, companies witnessed a 13.5% productivity boost after permitting remote work.
2. The quality of communication goes down
Another stereotype about remote work is that it impedes the quality of communication. With the lack of in-person interaction and diverse time zones, keeping the remote workers updated about what’s happening may seem quite difficult. But a survey conducted by TINY Pulse reveals that a whopping 52% of remote workers reported having contact with their manager at least once in a day. And an additional 34% report once a week interaction with their managers.
With many advanced digital methods of socialization available today, developing open communication among a remote team is simpler than it appears. Chat and email and other virtual tools allow for almost instantaneous communication between two or more parties.
3. Remote working is insecure
Many employers worry that transferring sensitive company data to devices on unsecured servers may lead to breaches in confidentiality. However, this is simply not true. Today’s advanced tech makes it easier than ever for a qualified IT team to prevent such security risks.
The cloud-based applications enable the IT team to outsource the security to vetted software programs and monitor employee’s systems remotely. In addition, companies can also set up good security practices such as dual authentication and virtual private networks (VPN) to further reinforce data security.