Which Of The Following Is A Potential Disadvantage Of Telecommuting For Employers?

Employers are looking for new ways to give employees a better work/life balance and higher retention levels. As a result, telecommuting is becoming more common. Telecommuting differs from a regular office job in many ways.

It can greatly benefit employers and employees if the program thoughtfully addresses employee needs and business needs. However, there are some possible downsides employers should consider when implementing this work arrangement.

What does telecommuting mean?

Telecommuting refers to a flexible work arrangement where employees work outside of the conventional office setting, typically from home or a nearby location like the local library. Telecommuting may be permitted full-time, where the employee works remotely all the time, or on certain days per week or as needed when situations arise that make remote work practical.

Instead of having to commute to an office location, telecommuting employees utilize computer connections and telephones to stay connected with managers, colleagues, and customers. This provides more freedom for employees in terms of working hours and environment while still fulfilling the business needs.

The key aspects of telecommuting are working remotely outside of a traditional office, leveraging technology to communicate, and maintaining productivity and meeting objectives even with a flexible schedule.

What is remote working?

As described by the International Labour Organization (ILO), remote work or telecommuting is a type of work done from a location away from a main office or production facility, using Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) that allow for physical separation while still enabling communication.

Teleworking can be done full-time or part-time. There is no set location for telecommuting, so employees can work remotely from a coworking space, their own home, restaurants, friends’ or relatives’ homes, libraries, etc. The only requirement is having an internet connection.

Teleworking allows many professionals to organize and manage their time how they prefer, combining household tasks, leisure time or caring for family with their workday remotely, even if that means being connected 24 hours a day on their mobile device.

Is transitioning to remote work permanently a suitable choice for your business?

Should Your Company Make Working Remotely Permanent? The Pros and Cons to Consider

An increasing number of major companies like Facebook, Twitter, and Slack are giving employees the option to work remotely full-time, and more small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are thinking about doing it too. This situation has many potential benefits but also some possible drawbacks that employers should consider.

Let’s break down some of the biggest pros and cons.

The upsides for employees of being part of a remote workforce are clear: flexible schedules, access to jobs outside of commuting range, more autonomy, higher job satisfaction, time and cost savings on commuting, and potentially higher productivity.

But what are the advantages of telecommuting for employers? Here are 10 major ones.

Advantages of Remote Work for Employers

There are numerous advantages for companies when they set up well-designed remote work programs for their staff. Some of the benefits include:

• Increased efficiency – Although it may appear that out-of-office workers will take opportunities to be unproductive, studies show the opposite. A 2014 Stanford research found call center employees were 13% more efficient when working from home. The University of Texas had a similar study and discovered remote workers labored 5-7 hours longer on average than their in-office peers.
• Lower turnover – Employee turnover can be costly for a business. Studies have displayed that staff able to work remotely tend to be much happier than their in-office equivalents. When employees are satisfied, they are typically less inclined to leave a job, which can accumulate savings for employers over time.
• Improved morale – This, too, can impact turnover. Employees who can work from home and have an improved work-life balance tend to feel more valued. A study conducted by Pennsylvania State University found that remote workers are generally less stressed and happier than employees who work in a traditional office setting.
• It’s environmentally sustainable – Telecommuting removes the commute from the work equation. For eco-conscious firms, this can be a big win.
• It’s financially prudent – Employees aren’t the only ones who can enjoy money benefits linked to remote work. It is estimated companies can save about $11,000 yearly per employee who telecommutes.

Possible Disadvantages

While telecommuting has many benefits, there are also some potential downsides that companies should consider before implementing this policy. These include:

• Lack of supervision – It’s hard to closely monitor or micromanage remote employees. However, companies can set clear performance goals and ensure telecommuters are meeting expectations for productivity and work quality.
• Risk of lower productivity – Some employees may struggle to stay focused when working from home. Again, setting benchmarks for output and quality can motivate telecommuters to overcome distractions.
• Security issues – Providing remote access for teleworkers could create vulnerabilities in company systems. Protocols like training on secure remote access and frequent password changes can address these gaps.
• Less collaboration – Telecommuters can feel isolated and have trouble brainstorming with colleagues. Regular online meetings, shared docs, frequent calls and some in-person sessions can facilitate teamwork.
• Career concerns – Some worry telecommuting may limit advancement opportunities. Employers can ease this by maintaining open communication and giving telecommuters chances to prove themselves.

Overall, companies that are considering allowing telecommuting should be aware of these potential pitfalls and take steps to overcome them. With the right policies in place, the drawbacks can be minimized while leveraging the many benefits.

An Example of a Successful Remote Workforce Integration

As an employment agency for small, medium, and large companies across various industries in the United States, 4 Corner Resources (4CR) has worked with many clients and been part of numerous successful integrations of remote workers. One example that stands out is as follows:

A public online school providing K-12 education to students in Florida (and other areas) through virtual learning content decided in 2017 to develop their own Learning Management System (LMS). This multi-million dollar undertaking necessitated additional staff to plan, design, and implement this company-wide project. The specific skill sets needed were part of a small specialized niche – meaning the organization was facing a limited talent pool to choose from locally.

By embracing remote workers, the education company expanded its candidate pool and gained access to a much wider network of potential hires living outside daily commuting distance. They enjoyed great success finding the talent needed to complete the project successfully and have since continued with a remote working model.

As preference for remote work continues growing among job seekers, allowing offsite work full or part time for some or all employees can be an effective way to differentiate from other employers and better compete for top talent.

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Tips for Setting Up a Telecommuting Program

Implementing a well-thought-out telecommuting program can provide employees with many advantages. Putting in the work upfront can help avoid some potential problems. With that in mind, here are some suggestions for creating a program that meets both employee and employer needs:

A carefully created telecommuting program can provide many benefits for employers. Take the time to plan a program to avoid potential issues. Once established, periodically review policies to make adjustments as needed. With a robust program in place, companies can retain talent while reducing expenses and increasing productivity.

Read Also: Which Of The Following Technologies Is The Default RPA Option For Capgemini Intelligent?

Conclusion

In the following months, companies will continue to leverage remote work for its potential to lower expenses, expand the talent pool, and most importantly, provide top candidates the flexibility they want. Hybrid arrangements will become more prevalent as employers look for practical compromises that give workers better work-life balance while still allowing in-person collaboration.

The most popular hybrid model is three office days and two remote days per week. Staying aligned with what candidates want will be key for employers who aim to remain innovative.

These preferences are changing, and candidates are making major career moves based on them. One noticeable trend is the need for more clarity between what employers and employees prefer for work location.

Roughly two-thirds of employees must be in the office full-time, but only 22% say this is their preferred setup (compared to fully remote or hybrid). When this misalignment happens, employers suffer; one in three workers say they would start job searching if forced back to the office full-time, while 6% say they would quit right away.

Looking to the future of remote work, technology will also be a critical part of employers’ success. Unfortunately, many companies still lack in providing employees the tools they need to do their jobs as effectively as possible when working remotely.

It’s also important to use technology to facilitate remote hiring and virtual onboarding, creating a more seamless experience for candidates and new hires when building a remote workforce.

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