Taking care of how we organize remote working

I’ve mentioned several times that I am a big fan of work-life balance.

The scientific literature mentions remote working as a thing that facilitates work-life balance. I do sustain the fact that this measure is hard to put it in place in a productive manner.

There are some things that need to be done by employees to assure the efficiency of remote working:

• Follow the same vision and the same values. Working in the same office, it helps the team to understand some smooth ”whys” (to read them as ”reasons” or ”directions”) of the work.
• Share the information. There are some domains where teamwork is necessary. Also, there are some moments when it is easier to come closer to your colleague and to discuss a certain problem. You can do it also by Skype or by phone if you feel comfortable with it. But not all of us do it.
• Engagement with the team: it is hard to have a close relationship with someone you don’t see it. The virtual team is not the same as the physical one.
• Infrastructure: to work on the same tools or documents with the people from the office. You have to be sure that you can access them whenever you are.
• External distractors: if you work from home, you have to be sure that your family’s expectations are not to be available especially for them. During your working hours, you have to be available most of the time for business issues. For this, you have to practice self-discipline to work as well as you were in the office.
• Health and safety measure: whose fault is when are happening some home accidents? Employees or employers? Working from home, you can’t assure the same safety conditions as if you work from the office.

Of course, there are also some advantages to remote working. You have to have some mature employees and to trust them that they will offer the same quality as office working. We have to remember as well that you can reduce costs and you use your personal time more efficient.

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