Would you like to work remotely?

Would you like to work remotely?

Remote working is here to stay. A recent survey predicts that the percentage of permanent home workers around the world could double in 2021. The key to remote work is communication – if you’d like to work remotely, it’s important to keep connected.

The survey, undertaken by US firm Enterprise Technology Research, asked Chief Information Officers (CIOs) from across the globe about the future of working practices in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic.

48.6% of CIOs said they’d seen an increase in productivity since remote working was introduced, compared to 28.7% who cited a decrease in productivity. With remote working proving popular and productive for many, CIOs expect the number of permanent home workers in their workforce to rise from 16.4% before the pandemic to 34.4% in 2021.

If you want to work remotely, what do you need to be aware of?

There are plenty of positives to working remotely: greater flexibility for employees, reduced expenditure on office space, reduced carbon emissions due to fewer commutes, and so forth. But in order for remote working to be productive, both employees and managers need to be committed to good communication.

If you’re working remotely, you’ll need to liaise regularly with your colleagues. Miscommunication at work doesn’t just cause errors, it can also lead to missed opportunities, inefficient work arrangements and even lost clients.

When working away from the office, you’ll also need to be responsible. Managing your own time, you’ll need to make sure you’re working hard, bringing your best to the job, and avoiding home-based distractions.

Remote working requires trust between companies and their employees, but that trust can also help to build stronger professional relationships, which can then lead to more productive, efficient working environments.

If you’d like to work remotely, it’s important to remember that communication is the key – keep in contact, continue to work with your colleagues as a team, and work hard to ensure that both you and the company benefit from remote working practices.