We Survived the Pandemic! Now What?
The Case for Remote Work
Throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic that the entire world faced as a whole, including the non-believers, the need for companies to continue operations strengthened. Restaurants, coffee shops, salad shops, etc. opted for app delivery services or takeout/takeaway as an option. The healthcare industry had all hands on deck to the detriment of healthcare workers mental and emotional well-being. Office roles gave their teams the option to work from home. In each scenario, members from these aforementioned work environments really took the time to reevaluate and reconsider what it means to have a role that pays well while also catering to their skills set.
Disclaimer: To all healthcare workers: this piece is meant to talk to an audience in search of new roles suited to their skills set. I personally want to say that I cherish you and the hard work you do, and I don't envy your roles. I appreciate you from the bottom of my heart!
Yet, Somehow, They Managed to Survive
Remote roles are out there. Remote roles existed before the pandemic, and they continue to exist now. Based on all of the interviews I had so far for roles aligning with my qualifications—but in a different state and requiring hybrid or on-site attendance—management teams just seem to have either a trust issue or a control issues that will hopefully disappear as new, more progressive-thinking generations of people step into management roles.
There isn't a need to have a physical office space if the role can be performed remotely. Your employer requiring any sort of in-office attendance may be suffering from:
- trust issues
- control issues
- a complex lease on the office space or the fact that they paid a pretty penny for an office space
- points 1 and 2 (it's my gut feeling!)
Honing in on points 1 and 2, and mixing in 3 as it can tie into—and encourage—1 and 2, more established companies feel like they have to count every bean and every hour accounted for to show "productivity". In my opportunities to apply for, and interview with, remote startup roles, they had a vast pool of talent, were remote, and were willing to pay their teams a livable salary—probably because they weren't paying rent for an office space.
When most companies had to transition to a remote setting for the pandemic, their teams were able to quickly adjust and continue without a gap in their service. With WIFI/reasonable internet connections, and higher productivity from home, there's no legitimate reason for a return to the office when most roles can be done remotely.
If there's strictly a company that needs people in the office for specific paperwork that can't yet be on-the-cloud, I see value in that; most local government jobs that need people on-site for, again, the physical paperwork aspect, totally on board; but tech companies and service companies that want an office space just for show, please be real with yourself.
But, Team-building
Yes, on-site work can lead to team building. According to this Forbes article, a remote setting has increased productivity and allows employees and teams to be more flexible and respectful of one another's priorities. This mutual respect is more beneficial for building a strong team, which then is a more productive team. Isn't that the goal anyway?
According to this article, surprisingly published on ADP's Latest News Section, and also surprising is that they perform research and release data on work-related trends, we see every factor increase for most companies when they go remote: happier employees, increased productivity, better teams, increased optimism, retention, and team strong communication.
Why am I surprised about ADP and their article?
ADP survived the Pandemic. They transitioned their employees to a remote setting so that the company, as a whole, could continue to provide payroll insurance services to their clients. Upon looking at roles at ADP, 95% of the roles are on-site. They don't seem to mind a small or unqualified pool of talent, so long as they can wield control over their employees and scantly trust them. To boot, they're also willing to hire teams abroad—also known as outsourcing, for less pay, to service customers in the US, but aren't willing to hire remote employees in the US. They sure put "American" to good use in the "A" part of their acronym.
But I'm the Kind of Person Who Needs to be in an Office
Great! There's still hope for you, and there are still many roles that require on-site attendance, or even hybrid attendance, if you like a little bit of both. This article really highlights the benefits of a remote culture. And, yes, there are people that thrive on the office energy, and at one point in my career, I did too. As we come to a certain age, and we begin to value different things, we eventually follow that which makes us happy and gives us what we need in our careers.
As long as you're happy in what you do, and your physical setting when you're productive and putting your best out there, then reach for that!