Remote work can boost productivity and curb burnout

Before the pandemic, many managers would laugh at the thought of allowing employees to work remotely. Now, as the future-of-work paradigm shift accelerates, organisations have seen how people working from home can be even more productive – and less prone to burnout. Allyson Zimmermann writes that remote work options that are sustainable, equitable, and humane are essential for organisations to weather the current and future disruptions. 

 
Years ago, when I was working with a group of leaders in London, there was a healthy amount of pushback (and some laughter) when we discussed the merits of allowing remote working and how it could benefit a broader group of employees. It was not that this organisation was unable to offer remote working due to the nature of the work, but rather it was valued less.

At one point, a leader said, “you can’t possibly reward the work of someone who is in the office most of the time [the same as] with someone who is working from home”. This comment was met with many nods. Clearly, there was more work to do.

Then the COVID-19 pandemic happened.

As someone who has worked remotely for the past 14 years, I realise that working from home during the global crisis has, of course, been challenging for many people, not least because of the stresses and strains of living through an emergency. Overnight, many workers were told to stay at home and found themselves trying to replicate their normal work patterns.

However, as the future-of-work paradigm shift continues to accelerate, remote work options that are sustainable, equitable, and humane are essential for organisations to weather the current and future disruptions. To guard against an ‘always-on’ culture, managers should be trained to prioritise empathy and inclusion.

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Πηγή: blogs.lse.ac.uk