3 Troublesome Facts about Working From Home
It seems the DNA of work has been fundamentally transformed.
However, buried by much of the enthusiasm are 3 facts that pose significant challenges for large and small businesses.
As the pandemic retreats, there is a notable increase in the number of favorable media reports about remote work. Many employees express a strong desire to keep working from home. After all, there are many perks including no commute, cost savings, and a flexible schedule.
It seems the DNA of work has been fundamentally transformed.
However, buried by much of the enthusiasm are 3 facts that pose significant challenges for large and small businesses.
1. Motivation for work
According to a Pew Research Center Survey of employed adults working from home, over a third (36%) reported a consistent lack of motivation to do their jobs. This percentage is often ignored by industry news sources and national media. Rather, the headlines highlight the 2/3 of remote workers that do not have such difficulties. But consider the 36%. This is a large percentage. Imagine if this many in-person workers lacked motivation.
Similarly, approximately a third of remote workers said they experienced significant difficulties completing their work without interruptions. Finally, 1 in 5 stated they had problems meeting deadlines on projects and locating adequate workspace.
What if these percentages had been published (and emphasized) before the pandemic? Would remote work be deemed an attractive alternative for employees? For the employer?
2. Motivation issues for younger workers
Working from home impacts younger workers more so than older ones. The youngest cohort (18-29) is among those most likely to report motivation as a genuine impediment to their work. In addition, due to interruptions, a larger percentage of younger workers say they cannot complete their assignments.
Younger workers are of course less experienced. They thus stand to benefit more from the workplace, interacting face-to-face with co-workers, learning from an experienced mentor, and enjoying in-person collaborative experiences. In this regard, the pandemic negatively impacts their professional development. Struggling young workers can weigh heavily on an entire organization. When present, youth brings needed energy and new ideas.
3. Class divide
Recall the attractive media images of people working from home. Work appears comforting – large kitchens, cozy sofas, ample workspace, a laptop, a large screen desktop, a great headset, maybe even a cat or dog lounging in the background. For some, the images may reflect reality.
But for large majorities of lower and middle-income workers, their job responsibilities cannot be done from home. There is a clear class divide between workers who can and those that cannot work from home. Many workers in jobs that could not be converted experienced significant job losses during the pandemic.
Companies should consider this divide. It could intensify resentment among the ranks. It could create two cultures – a remote high-income group and an in-office lower-income faction.
Bottom Line
The good news is most remote workers have done remarkably well and many do want to continue to work from home. But we should think about how working from home could influence employees after years – not simply 9-12 pandemic months. The relatively short time frame, and the abnormal circumstances involved, must be considered before determining the success or failure of working from home.
Even for a short period, survey results demonstrate large percentages of remote workers experienced difficulties. For these employees, remote work threatens their productivity. This is especially true for the youngest cohort that benefits from the professional development that brick and mortar workplaces offer. For those just beginning their careers, the pandemic likely delayed progress and generated new work-related anxieties.
Finally, working from home exacerbates class divisions. Remote workers do not face the same health risks as front-line employees but on average are paid more. While income differences are generally well accepted, they can still cause tensions within organizations. Remote work adds yet another layer, compounding the privileges of income and status within businesses large and small.
We are just beginning to understand the pressures remote work imposes on employees and organizations. While many big-name companies announced plans for permeant remote work or generous hybrid adaptations, an increasing number of executives are skeptical and believe their company culture cannot survive without regular turnout at the workplace.