It’s been my experience that the managers most opposed to remote work are usually the folks who are least comfortable working with computers.
While the excuses may vary, some employers even invoke phrases like “how can we be certain that you’re actually working?” For working parents and caregivers especially, the idea that one wouldn’t know how to apply discipline and care to their time while fulfilling their obligation to their employers is insulting.
Face-to-face interaction is definitely important and every employer has a right to decide where their staff should fulfill their responsibilities.
However, I’m also encouraged as I see more employers understanding that there’s no one-size-fits-all formula to #productivity.
If your employer is considering a remote working arrangement but they’re still believing ridiculous myths that discourage it, here are some helpful statistics:
- Forbes reported that “95% of employers surveyed stated that allowing telecommuting increases employee retention rates. “
- Inc. magazine followed Stanford professor Nicholas Bloom’s experiment that yielded a full day’s productivity and a 50 percent decrease in employee attrition.
- Professor Bloom presented further detail in this TEDx talk.
- This Buffer “State of Remote Work” report offers a comprehensive perspective of how employees feel about having flexibility.
ASK your creatives what it takes to help them write, design, and do whatever it takes to get the job done. It’s not always about the commute and the g*d awful distractions that come with open workspaces.
It’s unfortunate that it’s taking a global pandemic to force some organizations to rethink the role that technology plays in helping to keep the plates spinning.
However, an investment in telecommuting is definitely worth it if it means keeping uniquely talented individuals on the payroll.
The Harvard Business Review takes it a step further and promotes the idea of a Work From Anywhere economy. In addition to productivity increases in practices worldwide, the study also found a correlation in increased productivity relative to both working remotely and in the office.
The thing about Working From Anywhere is not everyone who works while on the road represents the “I Quit My Job and Traveled the World For a Year” aesthetic.
The writer, editor, or producer that you desperately need for your next project may also be the person who’ll create some of their best work after the kids have gone to bed, or while sitting at their ailing parents’ bedside.
Be safe, my friends.
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