If you’re a remote worker, you probably already know that the future of business is remote. However, if you’re an office worker, you might not quite understand how the future is really going to be remote. There are also many unanswered questions regarding remote work, especially as employers ask previous remote workers to come back into the office on a regular basis.
In today’s blog we’re going to dig into why the future of business is remote, how to start negotiating your way into remote work, and answer some questions regarding remote work. Let’s get into it.
The Future of Business
When the pandemic started, many businesses made the transition from in-office to remote working, and as the pandemic subsides, many businesses remain partially, or fully, remote. Businesses like Airbnb and Google are allowing employees to remain remote if desired, providing them with the same remote work they received during the pandemic.
As the Great Resignation continues, and Quiet Quitting continues, companies need to become more and more accommodating to their employees, or they will leave. In-office positions often come with burnout, lack of advancement, lack of flexibility, and an absence of childcare, and Gen Z and Millennials don’t find the money worth it.
With freelancing and self-employment being an option, it’s time for Corporate America to take a look at the way they do things.
What Can Corporate America Do?
The real solution for Corporate America is to provide a choice. It’s time to give your employees more of a say in the way they work. Gallup published a survey that said 56% of Corporate America workers can do their job fully remotely and only 20% said that onsite is a needed and necessary part of the strategy. That means over 70 million Americans can be working from home.
Today’s employers need to get a full grasp on what work is done by each employee and what their working preferences are. Some employees will remain wanting to come into the office, but the option of remote needs to be provided to those that don’t.
The Options
In-office: This is the most traditional method of working and means that you are in the office 100% of the time you are working.
Hybrid: Hybrid working has become more and more popular, where you split your time between the office and working from home. Corporate America needs to pay more attention to this option.
Fully Remote: Finally, this is when an employee never comes into the office, they are always working from home, or outside the office.
The Conclusion
Some jobs require office work, there’s no doubt about it. However, it’s time that Corporate America starts looking at ways to make working from home possible for those jobs that don’t need an office presence.
There is wifi everywhere you go. Wifi Artists, in 2022, have been to Mexico, Thailand, Africa, Bali, and more, and there has been wifi in every spot we visited. If you have wifi and a VPN, you have the ability to get your work done.
All you need is a laptop and a mouse and you can be on your way to working remotely - from home or the other side of the world. It’s time that Corporate America makes that easier.
Negotiating Your Way Into Remote Work
If you’re currently working in an office and you’re ready to negotiate your way into working remotely, there are some crucial steps you need to take before you chat with your employer.
Research: Before you talk with your employer, make sure to truly make sure that you can complete your daily job from your home. If not, is there a hybrid method you can do? Make sure you have all the details worked out.
Outline: Once you have an idea of how you will work remotely, make an official outline of how you will perform your job from home (or across the world). Note how you’ll structure your time, how you’ll stay focused, and what your employer can expect from you for communication.
Written Proposal: This is the best way to provide your employer with your proposal - after you speak with your employer, they’ll need to think about the details, your written proposal will give them everything they need. It will also keep you organized when presenting.
Make sure to highlight the similarities to in-person work, focus on the benefits to your employer, note your contributions to the company, and answer anticipated questions your employer may have. Be ready to compromise if necessary, and offer a trial period if they’re unsure.
Staying Remote
Once you have negotiated your way into working remotely, make sure you take a few steps to keep your position working remotely.
Track your work: Use a tracker such as Toggl or Clockify that can track what you’re doing and how long you work. When an employer asks what you’ve done, you can refer back to this tracker or even send them the report.
Set goals: Have goals set and update your employer when you finish different milestones. By giving your employers updates on your goals, they become more trusting in your ability to work remotely.
Communicate: We believe that you need to over-communicate when you are working remotely. Make sure your employer knows when you’ll be online and offline, what you’re currently working on, and if you’re taking a sick day. Use applications like Slack for day-to-day communication and Zoom for video meetings.
Remote Work Q&A
We know you have a ton of questions about remote work, but let’s answer the most common ones we get.
Do remote workers actually get more work done?
Yes! When you’re working remotely, you’re often not distracted by others at work, you don’t get sucked into work conversations and excessively long meetings, and you can focus better. There are times when you get distracted by the things around you, but as you get more and more used to working from home, those distractions cease to exist.
Does your work-life balance suffer?
No - often, your work-life balance is better. You need to set firm boundaries when working from home though. You shouldn’t be working when you should be spending time with family. You should have set hours that your employer is aware of. Your laptop should be put away when you’re not working. This will help you have a better work-life balance when working from home.
Do you need a separate work space when working from home?
This is up to the person. Some people can work from a kitchen table and then have dinner at the same table later without thinking about work. However, some people need a specific workspace outside of their daily living space.
As you work from home more and more, you’ll figure out your working style. You’ll know if you need a desk in an office, or if a desk in the living room, or even a kitchen table, will work for you. We suggest doing what works best for you.
Do people feel isolated when working from home?
It’s very true that people who work from home can start to feel isolated, which is why we encourage employers to get their employees to communicate and socialize with their coworkers. They should be able to go to lunch with a friend or a coworker, they should be socializing with friends on the weekends, and they should be encouraged to log off on time and spend time with family. The more you encourage them to have a social life, the more likely they will have one.
What if my employee / employer isn’t communicating with me?
Communication is the key to remote work. You absolutely cannot work from home and not communicate with your employer. If either the employer or employee is not communicating, it’s important to set up a connection call where you go over expectations and how to communicate moving forward.
Why do my employees not want to come into work?
This is the most popular question we come across from employers. The honest truth is that they have more flexibility when working from home, they save time with their commute, and they feel more productive. Additionally, if that’s their preference, it could simply just be that they love their home and want to spend more time in it. It’s nothing to take offense to, it’s just the future of business.
The remote world is not fully understood, there are new developments every single day. However, if you’re running a business, it’s time you start looking into working remotely if you haven’t already. It’s going to be a big change and you should be prepared than be left confused.
If you’re already working remotely, you’ll want to check out our current programs to see if we’re traveling somewhere you want to visit. Wifi Artists is here to turn you from remote worker to thriving Digital Nomad, we want to see you cross locations off your bucket list one by one.
If you have any questions about our programs, we suggest you check out our FAQ page. If the question you have is not on our FAQ page, you can reach us via our contact form here. We will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Ready to travel with us? Check out our current program availability here and apply here. After applying, you will have a quick interview with one of our program leaders and you will be on your way to traveling in no time!
We can’t wait to meet you.
