Who Benefits from Remote Teamwork?
Even before COVID-19 was a part of life, remote teamwork was becoming more common for people in certain professions. With increasing Internet speeds and many more work tasks that could be done digitally, many employers were already taking advantage of remote teamwork as a way to access talent pools across the world.
Over the last year and a half, remote teamwork has become a massive part of the landscape. Almost half of all employees spent at least some time working from home in 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic. Remote work has been a necessity to get things done while ensuring that employees are safe at the same time.
Remote Teamwork Offers Many Advantages
What might be surprising to some people is how many advantages remote teamwork has for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). Employers who have had remote team members will often explain that they see benefits they never expected.
We’ll share what some of those are and why they work so well for SMBs in the paragraphs below.
Remote Teamwork Results in Increased Productivity
Some employers worry that if workers can do their tasks from home, they may not be as productive. It’s assumed that there will be more distractions and less focus on things important to the workplace. However, that’s not entirely true. Due to having fewer long in-person meetings and extended commutes, many have been able to do more than ever.
Teamwork also hasn’t taken a backseat due to the new work environment. Many companies have been able to build community and culture within teams due to the change in atmosphere. For instance, virtual hangouts let people chat about work or other things in life. Chat apps and video conferencing can be as helpful as conference meetings or dropping by each other’s desks.
Better Work-Life Balance when Employees Work Remotely
When people work from home, they have more time to get things done in both avenues. Spending less time in the office and on the way to work means additional time to hang out with family, deal with chores, and participate in hobbies. Unsurprisingly, this makes remote teamwork members happier and healthier. It also makes them more likely to enjoy engaging in teamwork with other employees.
Simply removing the need to commute can create better mental and emotional wellness. This is a benefit for employees, managers, and those in the higher echelons of an organization. When people are comfortable, that shows. It can also rub off on the other people around the person who is in an elevated mood.
Remote Teamwork Breaks the Contiguous Walls of the Office
For many SMBs, the largest benefit of remote teamwork is the ability to hire people from any location. There’s no longer a requirement to find only the best and brightest employees from within a small geographical area. Instead, you can branch out and look for the very best people – no matter where they are.
On the side of the employees, there are also benefits. Working from anywhere means that living in an area with a low cost of living is possible, even if the company headquarters is somewhere with elevated prices. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.
Final Thoughts
COVID-19 might have forced remote work to become the standard, but that doesn’t mean there haven’t been benefits to that. Many have realized that remote teamwork works as well or even better than a traditional office environment.
With many people having a year or so of experience working from home, the state of work has changed. And honestly, it might not be a bad thing if we explore whether the new environment is better for SMBs and the employees within them.
