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The Dark Side of Remote Work Nobody Talks About
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A study by the International Workplace Group suggests that 43% of US workers already work remotely to some degree.
Remote work is currently the biggest work trend in the world. The concept of working without needing to travel to the office with the flexibility of timing seems like a dream.
While many live this dream every day, is it really as satisfying as it seems?
Remote is a makeover of the traditional work environment. People who are exhausted and frustrated from their hard and tiring day jobs have been increasingly excited about the prospects of remote work.
However, not everything may be as rosy as it sounds. In this article, we’ll discuss the negative aspects of remote work.
Colleagues form a big part of the daily life of the average person. They end up being the people that a person spends the most amount of time with, sometimes even more than their partners or their children.
Workplace interactions can be the backbone of social well-being for a lot of people. However, with remote work, this opportunity to socialize has disappeared.
Further, remote work makes it even harder to collaborate with others (as if collaboration was ever easy). You can’t just walk up to your colleague’s or manager’s desk anymore. You need to set up a time and date for a video chat.
That’s just extra steps.
The Shiny Side of Remote Work
Working from 9 to 5, five days a week, is tough. What’s tougher is the long commute and the time spent driving or using public transport. With the ever-increasing pollution levels, the commute is usually not very pleasant either. Working in an office has other issues as well – the absence of quiet and noise-free work areas, offices too far from the home, workspace distractions, etc. Remote work offers a break from these daily issues. You choose your own work environment. You can also avail of flexible work timings. The daily commute to the office is cut down to zero. You can work for major international companies without actually having to relocate. It’s a host of whole new golden opportunities. However, there are both pros and cons to remote working.
Negative Trends in Remote Work
While remote work has its advantages and is an unprecedented way to work, there are disadvantages of remote work as well. Let’s explore those.1. Increasing Levels of Loneliness in Remote Workers
A Buffer report found that 24% of all remote workers were lonely. This is especially prevalent when only a small number of people in the team are remote while the others work right out of the office space. There are cases in which only one person in a huge team is remote. This does take a toll on the level of engagement the remote worker can expect. Not being in the same office space as other members of your team, you may feel neglected and left out. Remote workers are often left to play catch-up with the rest of the team, and proper, fulfilling conversations with colleagues may be hard to come by.
2. Difficulties for Remote Call Center Agents
Remote call center agents experience specific difficulties due to their lifestyles.a. Mental and Emotional Stress
Remote call center agents may experience feelings of isolation and disconnection due to their work environment. They may miss out on the social interactions and support that can come from working in a physical office setting, which can exacerbate feelings of stress and burnout. Another source of stress for remote call center agents is the emotional toll of dealing with upset or angry customers. These interactions can be challenging to manage, particularly if the customer is upset about an issue that the agent has no control over. It can lead to feelings of frustration, helplessness, and even anxiety.b. Physical and Ergonomic Challenges
Many remote call center agents work long hours sitting in front of a computer, which can lead to discomfort and pain in their neck, back, shoulders, and wrists. They may also experience eye strain and headaches from staring at a computer screen for extended periods of time.3. The Difficulties of Maintaining a Work-Life Balance While Working from Home
The importance of work-life balance cannot be stressed enough. Today, we’re aware of the mental and physical toll that overwork and non-stop stress can take on the human body. On the face of it, it may seem like remote work will promote a healthy work-life balance since you’re spending more time at home and work has become more flexible. However, in practice, the opposite can be true. Many people report that remote work has decreased their work-life balance since there is no boundary between their work and the rest of their lives.4. Where and How Should a Remote Worker Unplug After Work?
When working a traditional job, we unplug when we get home. One might also visit a local restaurant if they are feeling extra energetic on a particular Friday evening. But what if your home and your favourite café are your places of work? How is one supposed to unplug? Most importantly, where is someone supposed to do that? Remote workers find it hard to draw the line between their real work hours and non-work hours. Managers message at all hours of the day. Now that you are working from your home at your selected work hours, where exactly do you draw the line? When exactly do you stop working for the day?5. Lack of Social Interaction and Team Collaboration
Colleagues form a big part of the daily life of the average person. They end up being the people that a person spends the most amount of time with, sometimes even more than their partners or their children.
Workplace interactions can be the backbone of social well-being for a lot of people. However, with remote work, this opportunity to socialize has disappeared.
Further, remote work makes it even harder to collaborate with others (as if collaboration was ever easy). You can’t just walk up to your colleague’s or manager’s desk anymore. You need to set up a time and date for a video chat.
That’s just extra steps.
