By Jocelyn Ian
Many of us have had to work remotely over the past year. People are now paying more attention to the results and deciding whether they want to return to work in-office or if they want to work remotely.
Is it possible that a person’s geographical location could have a significant impact on their work experience? These are some of the surprising answers. These are some of the surprising differences between working at a traditional office or working in the virtual realm.
While teamwork is declining, job satisfaction is rising. When asked, most remote workers pointed out the difficulties in connecting with their colleagues. Although it isn’t always as simple as going to the next cubicle to ask questions, many remote workers have discovered a way to use software to keep in touch.
However, the flexibility and freedom of the office during the workday make up for the inconvenience. Many employers report higher productivity, even though employees may not feel as productive.
This is a sign that workers take control of their workday and use their flexibility to get the job done efficiently. However, communication gaps must be filled and videoconferencing can only go so weit in terms of communication.
All of us feel “Zoomed out”, and struggle to disconnect from work. The difference between remote workers and office workers is that remote work puts more pressure on other communication forms that can’t be done face-to-face.
The office distractions are gone. This is something we all know painfully well. Working from home can mean that there’s a greater chance of someone seeing their cat on Zoom, or a child running through the room.
Surprisingly, remote workers also recognize the lack of distractions in the office. It turns out that there are many distractions in the office such as interruptions from coworkers, phone conversations with other people, and disruptions that interrupt concentration.
Remote work allows you to eliminate communication barriers that can naturally develop in an office environment. Software applications such as Microsoft Teams give other members of the team the chance to answer questions, rather than everyone stopping at one desk.
You can take advantage of the coworking options to continue enjoying the benefits of remote working while also solving some of the more traditional problems in the office related to communication and commuting. Enjoy your work!
This post was written by Tara Kintz. Tara is a director at Signature Workspace which is a Virtual Office Tampa. Signature Workspace, owned and operated by Cantor Fund Management, offers services and amenities such as private offices, flex space, co-working space, virtual offices, meeting/conference rooms, and more.
