Three Remote Work Traps That Employees and Employers Fall Into, and How to Avoid Them
Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2025 8:08 am
Working from home means saving at least two hours a day just for the commute to and from the office and not spending time there until six or even seven in the evening, simply because it is impossible or impolite to leave earlier, even if you have already completed all your work for the day.
To each or almost each of us, this scheme of work seems quite reasonable and attractive, and there are good reasons for that. However, this coin has a reverse side.
As extensive statistics collected by scientists over the past few years show, in addition to the obvious benefits , remote work can cause emotional and team problems and reduce your productivity.
Nowadays, the ability to work remotely is a huge advantage for most candidates, especially in the IT and media sectors.
For example, a report published by social media marketing platform Buffer found vietnam whatsapp list that the ability to work from home for at least part of the workweek was extremely important to 99% of respondents.
A study by another major company, Staples, released in February of this year, found that 64% of its employees occasionally work from home, and 67% would even be willing to look for a new job if their current schedule became less flexible.
But, despite the fact that remote work is more popular than ever among both employees and employers, and the level of development of communication technologies for many professions allows full-time work from anywhere on the planet, this form of labor interaction is still far from perfect.
According to Buffet's head of PR, Haley Griffith, remote workers regularly experience difficulties with productivity, engagement in the production process, and satisfaction with the results of their work.
7 out of 10 remote workers face challenges that office workers usually don't even think about.
“The biggest thing these people lack is communication, especially in companies that have a mix of remote and traditional workers,” Griffiths says.
Trap #1: Always at work
While office workers have the ability to physically and psychologically leave their desk at the end of the day and completely switch off the “work” mode in their minds when they leave the office for home, people who work from home feel like they are always working and simply never leave work.
The danger of this self-perception is professional burnout and decreased productivity.
How to avoid falling into this trap
The way out of this situation is automated tracking of working hours, work in a CRM system and clearly defined communication procedures between remote and office teams.
In Western companies, where overtime is not always welcomed and can become a problem not only for the employee but also for the employer, the daily routine is monitored by managers who, according to Buffet management, should pay attention, for example, to emails sent by a remote worker outside of working hours, or to the fact that he is constantly online in a work messenger. At the same time, managers should not just not encourage such behavior, but are obliged to stop it.
If you work remotely and there is no one to keep an eye on your “labor feat,” remember that saving a drowning person is primarily their own responsibility. Yes, remote work gives you the opportunity to sleep during the day, postponing some tasks to the evening and night, but you should not get carried away with the “night owl” schedule, because this can lead to really negative consequences. Want to sleep longer? For God's sake — unlike your office colleagues, you can afford it without feeling guilty. After all, you do not need to waste time on the road and work is always near you.
To each or almost each of us, this scheme of work seems quite reasonable and attractive, and there are good reasons for that. However, this coin has a reverse side.
As extensive statistics collected by scientists over the past few years show, in addition to the obvious benefits , remote work can cause emotional and team problems and reduce your productivity.
Nowadays, the ability to work remotely is a huge advantage for most candidates, especially in the IT and media sectors.
For example, a report published by social media marketing platform Buffer found vietnam whatsapp list that the ability to work from home for at least part of the workweek was extremely important to 99% of respondents.
A study by another major company, Staples, released in February of this year, found that 64% of its employees occasionally work from home, and 67% would even be willing to look for a new job if their current schedule became less flexible.
But, despite the fact that remote work is more popular than ever among both employees and employers, and the level of development of communication technologies for many professions allows full-time work from anywhere on the planet, this form of labor interaction is still far from perfect.
According to Buffet's head of PR, Haley Griffith, remote workers regularly experience difficulties with productivity, engagement in the production process, and satisfaction with the results of their work.
7 out of 10 remote workers face challenges that office workers usually don't even think about.
“The biggest thing these people lack is communication, especially in companies that have a mix of remote and traditional workers,” Griffiths says.
Trap #1: Always at work
While office workers have the ability to physically and psychologically leave their desk at the end of the day and completely switch off the “work” mode in their minds when they leave the office for home, people who work from home feel like they are always working and simply never leave work.
The danger of this self-perception is professional burnout and decreased productivity.
How to avoid falling into this trap
The way out of this situation is automated tracking of working hours, work in a CRM system and clearly defined communication procedures between remote and office teams.
In Western companies, where overtime is not always welcomed and can become a problem not only for the employee but also for the employer, the daily routine is monitored by managers who, according to Buffet management, should pay attention, for example, to emails sent by a remote worker outside of working hours, or to the fact that he is constantly online in a work messenger. At the same time, managers should not just not encourage such behavior, but are obliged to stop it.
If you work remotely and there is no one to keep an eye on your “labor feat,” remember that saving a drowning person is primarily their own responsibility. Yes, remote work gives you the opportunity to sleep during the day, postponing some tasks to the evening and night, but you should not get carried away with the “night owl” schedule, because this can lead to really negative consequences. Want to sleep longer? For God's sake — unlike your office colleagues, you can afford it without feeling guilty. After all, you do not need to waste time on the road and work is always near you.