Abbey, an employee from Stack Overflow, an online community for developers., says, when working remotely, “It’s been crucial for me to designate space and time for work, even when I’m living in a place without much room to spare. Remote working is one aspect of organisational life which is currently undergoing profound change. Gone were the company lunches on the patio that overlooks Antlers Park and the mountains. Before the COVID-19 outbreak, less than 50% of companies had a remote work program. Leadership needs to acknowledge the added challenges created by remote working and take a top-down approach to solve the challenges. Many remote employees work from home, which means ample distractions (the dishes, the laundry, the un-mowed lawn, maybe your children and spouse)—and it’s all too easy to get sidetracked. Remote working can present issues when following the law in terms of particulars of employment in terms of the BCEA. Not everyone performs as expected, especially those who are forced to telecommute but may not prefer to do so. “Our area does not have the necessary level of high speed broadband internet. Though many remote workers think working from home is more amazing than sliced bread, a lot of employers … With more restrictions in effect, “we’re going to see a lot more of this,” she said. But managing employees who don't report to the office also comes with a set of unique challenges, and overcoming them has become a top priority for many employers… Working remotely is a style of working that allows you to work outside of a traditional office, whether at home, in a co-working space, at a coffee shop or other location. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Now that millions are working from home, the challenges will become clear. But how do you know if your remote employees or those working from home are being productive? #1 Poor Time Management. Before the COVID-19 outbreak, less than 50% of companies had a remote work program. The remote work setup can also make it easy for employees to find excuses for failing to do what their employer expects of them. A mobile app addresses all of these HR challenges and pain points associated with poor communication. For many knowledge workers, there seem to be twice as many meetings (particularly video conferences) now that they’re working from home. Even as businesses progressed through the digital era, convention dictated that a company's strategic objectives were best met by gathering all employees at a specific location - an office, a factory - and using layers of supervisors and managers to ensure work was performed to the required standard. Here are a few common remote-work pitfalls and how to sidestep them. Challenges of remote work Challenge #1: Maintaining good communication. Already, employers are finding themselves offering that as a benefit, that flexibility of remote work, set your own work hours and location. Demotivation – an in-depth study by the Martec Group found that working from home during the COVID-19 crisis has reduced job motivation by 20% 1. According to Buffer’s 2019 State of Remote Work report, the most common problem remote workers have is unplugging after work – an issue 22% of respondents said they experience. Thirty-six percent of employers agree the shift to remote work is the biggest change imposed by COVID-19. Challenges of a Remote Work And How to Overcome Them. Challenges of remote work during COVID-19: Talking with nomad marketer Jason Barnard With the COVID-19 lockdown, remote working for many people is new, difficult, and perhaps scary. Willingness to work overtime: A study (via Science Daily) conducted by sociologists from the University of Iowa and University of Texas found that those who telework at least on a part-time basis work an average of three hours more per week. There are some challenges of remote working that you and the organization you work for must overcome in order for you to be successful. Measuring remote employees’ productivity is near the top of the list for most small business owners. Remote work, once a rare and innovative strategy reserved for tech companies, is no longer a fringe business practice. Thirty-six percent of employers agree the shift to remote work is the biggest change imposed by COVID-19. For example, in Stanford University’s two-year remote work productivity study, the researchers followed 500 employees after dividing them into “remote” and “traditional” working groups. You should know how to make the most of the remote work setup while addressing potential problems or drawbacks. Not every task can be effectively done remotely. Only a small minority of employers reported negative experiences (4% “poor” and 2% “terrible”). Now, let’s focus more on your remote employee challenges of HR. I’ve been telecommuting for over 12 years, first as an employee, then later as a freelancer and a virtual business owner. An additional 33% of those workers say their company lacks the right technology to accommodate their needs. According to a study by Zogby Analytics, remote workers reported lack of information from management (38 percent) and the timeliness of the information (39 pe… • Get leads from your top hires and only use reputable job market sites. A small 2015 survey conducted by ConnectSolutions (via SHRM) found that "of those who work remotely at least a few times per month, 77 percent reported greater productivity while working offsite.". Challenges of Managing Remote Employees. The transition to remote work culture is not as seamless as it seems. Related: How To Overcome the Communication Barriers for Remote Employees. Employers count these trainings as part of their workforce retention efforts. One of the reasons many managers don't approve of remote work is they fear employees will slack off without that physical, in-person oversight. The challenges in implementing remote working. Associate editor, For some workforces that moved to an entirely remote environment, employees could return to their workplaces, usually in a staggered fashion and under new working arrangements. Remote working is more complicated than it first seems. 5. The Challenges Of Onboarding Training With A Remote Workforce. There are factors that can prevent the expected advantages from materializing or turn them into disadvantages. Place importance on skills advancement as part of employee reviews. You have probably read several articles explaining the different boons and banes of telecommuting. Despite the challenges above, remote work is very rewarding—as long as you know what you're getting into and can handle these common issues. Employers, and their brokers, have the opportunity to get creative with their next steps. 5 Common Challenges of Remote Work 1. 2. It will cost money to replace employees.