The number one challenge when working remotely

05/25/2021

One in three people who work remotely regularly make overtime at a rate much higher than when they work onsite. It would seem that remote work is "more economical" in terms of time frame. The fact is that a person is able to complete a task more efficiently and quickly when he or she "gets into gear" - colloquially speaking. From a more physiological point of view, it is a matter of turning off unnecessary peripheral centers, or simply focusing on the task at hand. Undoubtedly, when working remotely, it is easier to arrange one's work schedule for the day, and there are no "distractions" like "go have a coffee." What, then, is the reason for the aforementioned overtime?

The human factor

The reason is the lack of control over one's working time, as well as the failure of supervisors to respect working hours. As many as, 82 percent of employers have made their workplaces more flexible in the pandemic era, which includes the transition of employees to home office. Remote work will be much more common after the pandemic than before it. However, working in such a mode requires the right approach from employers and employees, as well as new regulations.

Report

Dehora's report entitled. "Working Time in a Pandemic - New Challenges, New Solutions" shows that 82% of employers have introduced flexibility in the era of the pandemic, regarding working time with their employees. Undoubtedly, remote or hybrid working will permanently enter the canon of ways of performing one's duties. It has turned out that both employees and employers themselves have found the situation quite well. It is also a way to save money, such as renting office space. It is hard to imagine that once the lockdown is removed, companies will start to abandon remote work en masse

"Remote work - a revolution that has caught on"

This is the title of last year's Future Business Institute report. It shows that as many as 75% of employees believe that after the pandemic, office work should be combined with a remote/hybrid form. For 12% of respondents, it could be the main way of performing duties, and 6% believe that remote work should replace stationary work entirely. Only 7% have no opinion on the subject. The survey also showed that the majority of respondents (as many as 71%), believe that remote work benefits both the company and the employees themselves.
The LiveCareer.pl website also conducted a similar survey. It showed that 51% of Poles like working remotely. However, a similar percentage believes that this type of work has a negative impact on work-life balance. For 69% of respondents, the biggest challenge is...finishing work for the day. Closing the mail, etc. And switching to "after-work" mode.

The real burning issue - overtime

The most common reason for overstaying one's time at work is its organization and consistency in the execution of the day's schedule. It's just easier when you perform duties in an office-based, stationary work environment. About 30% of employees regularly work overtime for this very reason. There are, of course, more reasons why we are forced to work overtime. The second most common reason is to maintain work-life balance when it comes to families with children. This is particularly difficult for parents who combine work and childcare responsibilities, such as remote lessons. Those surveyed by LiveCareer.co.uk indicated that the biggest pluses of remote work are flexible working hours and a sense of security. However, as many as 48% admitted that this mode of work negatively affects mental health.