4 Drawbacks of Working Remotely and How to Address Them With Your Team

Little things can go a long way to make your team feel less isolated.

Question: Working remotely has increased in the last few years. What's one drawback to the practice and how have you dealt with it?

Happy Hour Gets Pretty Lonely

""Let's grab a drink after work" doesn't really materialize well on Slack. We've started to schedule our monthly team meeting in-person from 3-to-5 p.m. with happy hour or some social activity afterward every time. It's a great way to get teammates out of the house, working together in person for a team meeting, then socializing with some fun and casual downtime."


You're Easily Distracted

"To put it simply, it’s a wonder anyone actually gets anything done anymore. Anyone who says they haven’t at least occasionally wasted time on Facebook is probably lying. The best way to tackle this challenge, I find, is to give your employees guidance -- but don’t try to restrict them or block access. That’ll kill productivity as sure as a video of a cute cat."


Multitasking Becomes an Issue

"Working remotely is a valuable benefit to the employee and employer. However, guidance is always helpful. Set up a meeting with employees individually to discuss location options they are aware of and educate them using scientific studies with practical tips (e.g. breaks, multitasking, interruptions, blocking off time, motivation, loneliness, etc.). Keep the communication door open!"


It Can Lead to Doubts

"While working remotely has a multitude of well-covered benefits, we often run into a "feedback" issue. Most employees feel like they are bothering their manager by asking questions (hint: they are not). And when working remotely, this means that calling and emailing your boss only adds to that belief. In reality, asking questions that can help advance your progress is beneficial to all parties."


Resources

4 Drawbacks of Working Remotely and How to Address Them With Your Team

Little things can go a long way to make your team feel less isolated.

Question: Working remotely has increased in the last few years. What's one drawback to the practice and how have you dealt with it?

Happy Hour Gets Pretty Lonely

""Let's grab a drink after work" doesn't really materialize well on Slack. We've started to schedule our monthly team meeting in-person from 3-to-5 p.m. with happy hour or some social activity afterward every time. It's a great way to get teammates out of the house, working together in person for a team meeting, then socializing with some fun and casual downtime."


You're Easily Distracted

"To put it simply, it’s a wonder anyone actually gets anything done anymore. Anyone who says they haven’t at least occasionally wasted time on Facebook is probably lying. The best way to tackle this challenge, I find, is to give your employees guidance -- but don’t try to restrict them or block access. That’ll kill productivity as sure as a video of a cute cat."


Multitasking Becomes an Issue

"Working remotely is a valuable benefit to the employee and employer. However, guidance is always helpful. Set up a meeting with employees individually to discuss location options they are aware of and educate them using scientific studies with practical tips (e.g. breaks, multitasking, interruptions, blocking off time, motivation, loneliness, etc.). Keep the communication door open!"


It Can Lead to Doubts

"While working remotely has a multitude of well-covered benefits, we often run into a "feedback" issue. Most employees feel like they are bothering their manager by asking questions (hint: they are not). And when working remotely, this means that calling and emailing your boss only adds to that belief. In reality, asking questions that can help advance your progress is beneficial to all parties."


See Also: 6 Ways to Improve Your App Development Timeline

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