The working world has been surviving these past months on a steady diet of remote employment. And while it has been necessary, many experts are beginning to rethink the assertion that working remotely is just as good as working in an office.

While we’ve seen the benefits of remote work, we’re also starting to see the pitfalls of hastily-installed work-from-home systems. So what’s the truth? Do the pros and cons of remote work balance out? And is remote work more, less, or equally as effective as office employment?

The Truth About Working Remotely

For the first few months of the workforce’s pandemic-induced isolation, things were just fine. Workers were adjusting surprisingly well, given the circumstances. Granted, there was a bit of a learning curve, but everyone seemed to catch on relatively well. Things looked promising. Surely, this was the beginning of a new era for employees everywhere.

But after four, five, six, and seven months, it is apparent that there are flaws in the system.

The conditions leading to this mass migration from office to remote work weren’t making the situation any easier. The pandemic and its associated isolation, anxiety, and uncertainty took a toll on workers stuck at home. The subsequent mental, physical, financial, and emotional strain quickly became taxing for workers.

When The Workplace is Your Home: Where’s The Balance?

Another major problem? A significant chunk of workers struggled to maintain a healthy balance between their work and home lives. Home was too distracting. Whether that was because of entertainment, chores, children, or other family members, some workers found the home environment simply wasn’t conducive for productivity.

Employees missed the social interactions inherent in the office working model. The truth is, nobody understands your work situation quite like your coworkers. Your toddler or your dog can’t compare to an office pal when it comes to venting frustrations about quarterly reports.

Teamwork Without The Team Spirit

Perhaps worse than the inability to socialize with coworkers was the struggle to complete team projects. Admittedly, collaborative work wasn’t exactly a breeze to begin with. Remotely, however, teamwork became a bit of a nightmare. It’s harder to organize, share data, and hit milestones and deadlines.

Teams were already struggling to communicate within their own office and with third-party companies. Where productivity dwindled, frustration grew. The pressure was mounting, with no end in sight.

Beyond the struggles of at-home workers, employers and managers experience difficulties of their own. When communication isn’t up to snuff, everybody suffers.

Is Remote Work Sustainable?

It is becoming clear that many of the strategies implemented were not built with longevity in mind. Even if workers can stick it out, maintaining this remote work model is simply not feasible in the long-term. Systems were not given a chance to fully integrate into the working model before COVID hit. Some of them were half-baked and rushed out in an effort to maintain productivity.

So we have to ask once again, does remote work have its benefits? Undoubtedly, the answer is yes. It’s allowed companies to survive in an extremely trying time. But is it sustainable in the long term? Perhaps not. Only time will tell.

If your teams depend on a remote working environment, Lakeside Executive Suites in Weston, FL, is here to help. Reach out today to learn more about what we do and how we do it.