Pros And Cons Of Letting Employees Work Remotely

In recent months there has been an increase in employees working remotely. This has largely been instigated by the pandemic crisis, and employers the world over are now getting the opportunity to see how remote working is possible for them.

Not every business has the means to offer remote working, of course, as many are not office-based. However, thanks to the cloud solutions now available, those businesses that can still function through remote working have the greater opportunity to survive into the future. For business owners, they might decide to focus more on this style of working, even after the current pandemic is over.

But here’s the thing. Remote working has its advantages, but even for those businesses that can allow for it, there still needs to be consideration of possible pitfalls.

These are the pros and cons of letting employees work remotely.

Pros

Flexibility – Employees don’t have to be tied down to a 9-5 working pattern when working from home. Provided they stick to their agreed contracts, they can work flexibly. This could include evening work instead of daytime shift patterns, and it can also include weekends. For those employees who need this flexibility, such as those who have a young family, a flexible working pattern can be a blessing.

A greater work/life balance – The rigors of the daily commute and long hours in the office can take their toll on some employees. Their work/life balance is lopsided towards the former, and this can be stress-inducing and frustrating for some. But with remote working, there is the opportunity to spend more time at home, and so some stresses can be avoided. This is great for improving the employee’s health and wellbeing, as there will be more opportunities to rest and relax outside of their working hours.

Financial benefits – For the business owner, it can be comforting to know that savings can be made. Remote working negates the need to rent office space, and there will be savings on utility bills too. This equates to a higher profit margin and more money to put away in case of another emergency situation.

Cons

Productivity – On the one hand, employees should be more productive if they can work from home. With no need to commute, and with fewer office distractions, it can be argued that more work should get done. However, there is the danger that the employee might work less when not being managed. Thankfully, this can be overcome with computer monitoring software, as the employer will then be able to track their employee’s progress.

Cybersecurity risks – The business network may be protected with antivirus software and other cybersecurity solutions, but the employee’s home network may not be. This could result in a data breach. There are ways to reduce security risks, however, such as a reminder to the employee of safety processes that need to be put in place, but there could still be added problems down the line.

Finally

We have only covered some of the pros and cons associated with remote working, so if you’re a business owner, you should continue your research online. For the short term, it can be fruitful, especially during this present time, but deliberate over the advantages and disadvantages when looking at the long term future of your business.