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Before You Go Remote: 6 Things to Consider Before Making that Decision

In recent times, Remote work has been a trending topic mainly due to the recent pandemic. However, covid-19 was just the event that gave remote work its big moment.  In reality, a lot of people have been working remotely for years.

But what does it mean to work remotely?

Put simply, it is an arrangement that allows for work to be done outside the traditional office arrangement.

In the past few years, remote work has been growing steadily with several companies adopting the hybrid method which allows staff to work from home on some days and fully in the office on other days.

Technology has been a huge driver in the growth of remote work as more tools for communication and collaboration continue to spring up and more millennials who have been raised with technology throng the workplace.

While remote work has now become “the thing” for most organisations, especially in the wake of Covid-19, it is important to note that remote working is not for everyone. For example;

• Machine Handlers in the factory will still need to come to work physically to work the production lines.
• Pilots will still be required to fly planes physically
• Doctors and other medical staff will still be required to come to the hospital physically to carry out their duties.

But as awesome as working from the comfort of one’s home sounds, it’s not without its challenges, especially for companies that are just starting. From living conditions, electricity challenges, technology, and internet issues, to staying motivated, managing remote teams, collaboration, and unplugging after work, here are a few reasons remote work, especially in this part of the world could be considered a scam.

1. Living conditions

The earliest issue anyone just navigating into the world of remote working is likely to face is the problem of staying productive while dealing with confronting their living situations.

As far as most housemates/family members, especially guardians are concerned, you are home, meaning you’re on some vacation or /and you may have chosen to take a staycation.

What is important is that you’re home now and so, they have a gist partner, babysitter, lunch maker, an extra hand to run errands.

The way out of this fix is to tell them and show them that your reality isn’t quite so.

Have a sit-down over it, where you inform them that you’re still working like always, but this time from your workstation, which could be your room, the library, or some other suitable workspace.

The next morning, from the official work hours, they see you’ve dressed up and reported to the workstation, and the morning after that, and so on. It would take them only a few days to get it, as opposed to when they walk past, they see you playing video games, lying idle on your bed, or in the sitting room, watching NatGeo Wild with them.

2. Lack of self-discipline

Jim Rohn opines that “discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment”, and we can’t help but agree.

Self-discipline is the currency for birthing value and remaining relevant in today’s work world.

The lack of motivation and need for an extra dose of self-discipline can be tied to the absence of supervisors and team members all around. Especially in the early days of embracing remote work, there’s less pressure to get things done and you can also miss out on that group satisfaction of hitting targets as a team.

All in all, losing motivation and focus is not only frustrating, but it can also inhibit the overall success of the work process.

A way to handle this is by talking about motivation with managers and colleagues. There’s no shame in admitting that some of us have more natural motivation than others. What counts is doing everything you can, collectively, to maximize motivation for everyone, so that no one is slacking and delaying timelines for the rest members of the team.

But if you’d rather not share with your colleagues, the alternative is to remodel your remote working style to:

• • Get ready in the morning. Make it a point to get dressed, change into a comfy but good enough to put you into work mode outfit (it’s a mind game).
  • Set SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely) goals each workday, preferably the previous night, ahead of the next day.
  • Take breaks- 5 mins every hour to give your eyes a break, get some water and do some stretches. You may need to set an alarm.
  • Use productivity apps to help you get through the day
  • Attach rewards to tasks, and celebrate every small win

3. Distractions after Distractions

Distractions are the ultimate productivity killer that can turn remote working into a nightmare, compromise team progress, and stunt organizational growth.

There is no surprise, however, that distractions at home were the fourth most common problem reports in Buffer’s 2019 State of Remote Working report.

In a typical Nigerian setting, working from home means consistently being on the lookout for when the PHCN restores electricity, so you can put off your generator, while praying your neighbor is kind enough to do the same, for noise’s sake. It is not giving in to a conversation that comes up outside of your break/post-work time. It is ignoring the smell of food from the kitchen, children’s summons, reminding everyone else that you’re being home doesn’t mean you can be summoned to take care of one or another chore during office hours.

You can solve this problem by addressing all sources of distractions beforehand, or as they arise. On some days, you can go to a café, library, hotel, or a workstation to get work done.

4. Lack of Alternatives

Working remotely and relying on a single source of power and internet connection simply won’t suffice.

For it to work, you must have at least one alternative power source to power your busy card. Your options are purchasing a small inverter and/or a generator. It doesn’t have to power the entire house; as long as you can power up your phone, laptop, Wi-Fi, etc.

Consider also, getting a longer-lasting battery, for your laptop, for longer active hours. Because at this time, a power outage shouldn’t be an excuse at all. There is a myriad of inexpensive power solutions. Find one for your pocket size and needs, and go for it.

The same goes for internet solutions. When you can no longer walk up to someone’s desk to get what you need, excuses of a power outage or internet wahala is the last thing you want to hear.

Therefore, make provisions for internet data sources. As a remote worker, you require at least two service providers, so you can quickly switch over so that there is no break in communication and you are not hindered in any way in the event of an outage from one.

If there are rules to remote working, it should be: documents, emails, and other texts should be sent when due, no questions asked.

5. Tracking team performance

One of the harsh realities of remote work is that individual efforts can’t be duly monitored and doctored. This opens the floor for team members to take on a bunch of other jobs, which if not well managed, will have a negative impact on their productivity levels.

Keeping track of the progress multiple remote workers are making on a daily basis can be a daunting prospect, but a super necessary feat for hitting big targets entails making sure all the smaller tasks are getting completed in a timely manner.

Luckily, 21^st-century technology has project management tools like Status Hero, Monday, and Asana. They’ll show you when team members have started tasks and completed them.

6. Collaboration

How will a team of programmers or graphic designers collaborate to work on the same project when they are miles from one another?

Formerly, when team members were in the same space, they could interact with documents, items, projects, and each other without any limitations. But with the inception of the remote era, teams are highly limited, and even interacting with the same document poses challenges.

Thankfully, the good news is that, much like project management software, there are countless collaboration tools designed for all kinds of tasks and teams that will help you break down those remote co-working barriers. You just need to find the suitable one for your team based on the nature of the project.

Beyond email, consider tools like Slack, Google Drive, InVision, etc.

Looking for help with talent management for your organisation? Reach out to us by email: contactus@hcp-ng.com