The Rise of Remote Work: Overview, Challenges and Opportunities

  

What is Remote Work? 

Remote work, also called Work From Home (WFH) job, telecommuting, and virtual job, is a type of job whereby a person works  from the convenience of their homes or anywhere else outside the official work environment. 

Remote work dates back to the '70s, even before internet technology sprang up, connecting people otherwise separated by great distances. Jack Nilles coined the term teleworking and telecommuting in 1973. However the trend kicked off on a grander scale after the covid-19 pandemic, which forced employers to consider it due to the restrictions and shutdowns, and even after restrictions were lifted allowing the free movement of people, remote work is here to stay. 

How many people work from home today? 

Today, millions of people around the world work from home, and the number is growing rapidly. According to a report by Upwork, 63% of companies have remote workers, and the number of remote workers is expected to increase by 73% by 2025. According to Gallup, approximately 40% of remote-capable employees have shifted from working entirely on-site to either a hybrid or exclusively remote work arrangement.

Remote work has been advanced by improving technology and software. With a good mobile phone or laptop, a person can communicate with others over the internet. Zoom, Google meet and even Whatsapp are among the leading technologies with which people hold meetings and conferences without them being physically present. 

It is no longer necessary for people to work in the same physical space to produce their required output. 

The impact of Covid-19 on Remote work 

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a catalyst for the rapid adoption of remote work. As governments worldwide implemented lockdowns, social distancing measures, and travel restrictions, companies were forced to adapt quickly to maintain business continuity. Remote work became an essential solution, enabling employees to continue working safely from home.

The pandemic accelerated the shift to remote work, transforming it

Technologies had to be created and perfected to meet the increased demand.

 Not used to this style of working, it took quite a rough start with employers initially worried of reduced output and an increase in the distractions of employees. Employees as well faced several challenges, notably isolation, as they were forced into this system by the prevailing conditions. 

Humans easily adapt over time, and soon even after the pandemic, many employees preferred to work from home than to return to the office. 

With new technologies continuing to emerge, the work from home trend does not seem to be pausing soon.

Climate change and Remote work 

Remote work has a significant silver lining for climate enthusiasts - a substantial reduction in carbon footprint. By eliminating the need for daily commutes, remote work can lead to:

• Lower greenhouse gas emissions from transportation
• Reduced air pollution in urban areas
• Decreased energy consumption in office buildings

By embracing remote work, companies can contribute to a more sustainable future, while also benefiting from increased productivity, cost savings, and talent attraction. As the world shifts towards a more environmentally conscious mindset, remote work is certain to play a vital role in reducing our collective carbon footprint.

Is remote work for everyone? 

It is important to note that while remote working is good, it is not suitable in all scenarios. The average office worker may be able to perform his duties from home, but a manual labourer may not, as their physical presence is required to get the job done. 

For everyone, including the manual labourers to work from home, I would say, more sophisticated technologies need to be developed that would automate such tasks and these technologies then controlled remotely. 

Think of a labourer employed in a mining site. His physical input is needed. He can't dig from home now can he? 

Skilled tradespeople, like electricians or plumbers, who need to work on-site can not do their jobs remotely. 

Remote work may also not be ideal for healthcare professionals who require hands-on interaction with patients, such as doctors and nurses who need to examine patients, perform surgeries, or administer treatments, as well as dentists and hygienists who require direct patient contact.

While some administrative tasks, like charting or billing, can be done remotely, the core responsibilities of healthcare professionals require in-person interactions, making remote work less suitable for these roles.

 Who Thrives and Who Struggles in a Remote Work Era?

As remote work becomes the new norm, a difficult reality emerges: not everyone is equipped to succeed in this digital landscape. Those who struggle with technology or rely on physical labor may find themselves at a disadvantage. The rise of automation and AI-powered tools could potentially displace jobs that require manual labor, thereby increasing existing inequalities.

On the other hand, professionals who possess strong digital skills, such as graphic designers, programmers, and managers, are well positioned to thrive in a remote work environment. Their tasks can be performed entirely from home using a computer, and digital communication tools  like video calling and email services, used to enable seamless collaboration and feedback with their team or employer.

Types of remote jobs

Some common examples of remote jobs are:

1. Web designer
2. Copywriter
3. Virtual assistant 
4. Social media manager
5. Graphic designer
6. Computer Support Specialist 
7. Project Manager 
8. Data Analyst 
9. UX Designer
10. Sales Representative 

Advantages of remote work

1. All employees can have access to the same information 
2. Cost reduction for the employer who now doesn't need to rent a large office space or get as much office supplies; the employees do not need to spend as much on transportation, vehicle repairs, lunches, etc.
3. Workers can live in a cheaper area rather than having to stay close to the office.
4. Flexibility for the remote worker as they can shift tasks to a more convenient time of the day while still getting the job done. 
5. Remote workers are less likely to be absent or to show up late. 
6. Improved efficiency as things like transportation time, traffic congestion, etc are eliminated. 
7. The environment is not left out as having less people having to commute to work reduces traffic congestion, air pollution and energy consumption 
8. Remote workers can easily achieve a better work - life balance

Disadvantages of remote work

1. Workers can easily get distracted by non work related people and objects, such as kids, spouses, social media and television, thus reducing the quality and timeliness of their work.  
2. Non verbal communication is usually lost. If you are in a face to face meeting with someone, you can easily tell if they are following you or have not understood the points of the discussion via their looks and gestures, but this advantage is lost when people communicate via chat rooms, emails or audio conferences. 
3. The likelihood for miscommunication between remote workers and their employers increases.
4. Current communication media are prone to time lags. For example a person attending a zoom meeting may receive the communication several seconds after the speaker is done speaking. This can cause delays and increased stress. 
5. Remote work is highly dependent on internet connectivity and power supply. A person living in a place where there are frequent power outages or poor network would find it difficult to get his job done. 
6. Lack of physical interpersonal communication can lead to feelings of isolation and may result in mental health issues for some people. 
7. Lack of physical monitoring may lead remote workers to be less motivated in adhering to standards thereby leading to lower quality output and decreased productivity. 
8. Workers need to be trained on cyber security and online safety as company's confidential information may be at risk. 

The future of remote work

It seems remote work is here to stay. The number of remote workers is expected to increase . To make this work, we need better technologies to create more life-size displays of humans. We also need greater bandwidths to remove time lags in communication. Much of the world needs to be quite developed in terms of technology for this to happen.

What the future holds for virtual jobs is yet to be seen. Maybe virtual reality will become a big part of remote work. Maybe artificial intelligence will play a bigger role. One thing is for sure, the future of remote work is exciting and full of possibilities. We just need to be open to new ideas and willing to adapt.

In summary

Working from home is a great thing as it helps you easily fulfill your job's requirement while maintaining a work life balance. 

Although not every job can be done remotely, but a general shift seems to be taking place and it is important for people in this day and age to have at least a basic understanding of technology so as to easily adapt. 

Remote working is here to stay and we may see an increase in remote workers in the next decade. 

I would like to hear from you. Do you currently work from home, or would you wish to do so? Share your thoughts in the comments. 

Till my next post!

Stay Enlaitened!