In teleworking, remote work, home-office, Smart working or work from home, collaborators do not need to go to the office to fulfill their tasks and achieve their goals. Nowadays, talking about this form of employment is not strange or exotic. In fact, it is heard more frequently than ever before and has become a requirement for people when choosing a job.
It was in 1973, because of the oil crisis, when the work began to be brought to the collaborator. In order to reduce the use of fuel for commuting to the office, many companies decided to try a new way of working. However, the lack of technological tools made it difficult to carry out the tasks, so it did not take long before everyone returned to face-to-face work.
In the 1990s, the expansion of the Internet and the popularization of home computers were the initial kickoff for the evolution and feasibility of remote work, with 2020 being a culminating year. The quarantine imposed by the Governments as a way of preventing contagion during the COVID-19 pandemic, led companies to -once again- implement work from home, but this time with good results, both for the company and for the collaborator.
According to a FlexJobs study, 75% of people say they are more productive working remotely because they have fewer distractions. This data is supported by INDEC, which reported that during 2022 exports of the knowledge industry grew by 19.4% compared to 2021.
Those who work remotely agree that they can better reconcile their family, social and work life and, at the same time, are more productive. On the other hand, the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security of Argentina maintains that this modality of work facilitates the inclusion of vulnerable groups (women, people with disabilities, people deprived of liberty, vulnerable population or heads of family).
Women are the most favored in this regard. Data from Grant Thornton's Women in Business 2023 report indicate that in flexible companies the percentage of women in senior management is 36%.
Another advantage that teleworking has is the saving of time and costs, by avoiding the displacement between home and the workplace. This point allows a greater optimization of working time and decreases the rate of work absenteeism. Furthermore, 40% of teleworkers say that they are normally “not stressed” during a normal day.
The great advantages that are presented for the company and the collaborators make the possibility of establishing remote work as a policy and that it becomes the norm. However, there is still a long way to go and many companies refuse to make that happen.
The main barrier that arises when establishing remote work is the difficulty for teamwork. Although there are multiple digital tools for synchronous remote work, group dynamics are affected. In addition, the impossibility of holding face-to-face meetings makes it difficult to maintain a positive environment and can delay the completion of certain tasks.
The increase in emails, calls and video calls produces an increase in work stress and mental fatigue, affecting health, reducing productivity and preventing the brain from maintaining a creative, proactive and analytical state.
A survey conducted by Grant Thornton Argentina revealed that 46% of respondents value socializing with colleagues and place it as the main reason they choose to go to the office. This aspect is key because it affects both parties. In remote work, the collaborator can feel social isolation, which leads to low self-esteem and motivation; and the company loses its culture, and its work coordination is transformed.
The sense of belonging and identification with the employer brand are also highly affected by virtuality. The recognition of efforts and casual conversations that occur in person do not usually take place remotely. This produces a feeling of loneliness and isolation in the collaborator.
Given this scenario, many companies seek to return to the face-to-face work scheme, but a large part of their staff refuses to return to it. Therefore, a third work modality arises: the hybrid scheme.
This approach presents the best of face-to-face and virtual since the collaborator has the possibility of working remotely or from the office. The company can establish a policy that defines the number of hours/days that the collaborator is expected to work in the office, or it can give them full autonomy in the choice of the workplace and offer them a physical place to which they can turn in case of need.
For it to work and be efficient, the scheme must focus on teamwork and be designed to satisfy both the productive needs of the organization and the needs of each one of its members. It has to provide the value that is not obtained in remote work, but without forcing anyone to come to the office. For example, encouraging juniors or new members to go to the office allows the company culture to become part of them; but if they don't get a different experience than working from home or elsewhere (eg.: a supervisor teaching them a new skill) they won't want to come back and probably won't support any recreational initiatives in the office, either.
On the other hand, different studies indicate that productivity increases in hybrid schemes. This is because flexibility and freedom of choice increases commitment, and thus business results. Collaborators who attend the office will do so to fulfill an objective and will be more open to collaboration. Many times, they decide to carry out individual tasks at home, and have in the office all the meetings or teamwork and forge ties with their colleagues.