The Emerging Disadvantages of Remote Working for Employees

 

It seemed like a dream at first, didn’t it? Rolling out of bed and logging in from the comfort of your own home. No commute, no stiff office attire, and all the comforts of home just a few steps away from your workspace. 

However, as many of us have found out, the reality of long-term remote work can be quite different from the initial charm it promised.

Let’s face it, working from home can blur the lines between ‘work time’ and ‘home time.’ Your office is always there, lurking in the background of your downtime. Many find themselves working longer hours than they might in a traditional office because there’s no physical separation to signal the end of the workday. 

And while wearing pyjamas during a meeting has its perks, the lack of direct, face-to-face interaction can leave you feeling isolated and a bit out of the loop. 

So, what exactly is behind these growing disadvantages of remote work for employees and—more importantly—what’s the solution? Stick with us to learn more.

Positive effects of remote work

Though there are certainly challenges to remote work, it’s not all doom and gloom. In fact, there are several significant benefits that can improve both your professional and personal life.

• Enhanced family life: Studies, including those by Gajendran and Harrison in 2007 and Raghuram et al. in 2019, show that remote working helps reduce work-family conflict, allowing employees to better manage professional responsibilities and family time.
• Reduced commuting stress: Eliminating the commute can lower stress levels, blood pressure, and BMI, as highlighted in the ‘Health in a Hurry’ report by the Royal Society for Public Health. This change also frees up more time for health-promoting activities.
• Greater autonomy and trust: Remote work fosters a sense of trust that boosts employee motivation and satisfaction. This autonomy results in higher levels of well-being and job satisfaction.
• Improved mental wellbeing: According to a 2022 survey by Tracking Happiness, remote employees report a happiness level 20% higher than those who work in traditional office settings.
• Boosted productivity: Many reports suggest that remote workers can achieve higher productivity levels by avoiding typical office distractions and optimising their work environments.

These benefits of remote work showcase a work style that, when managed well, can lead to a healthier and more productive life. Whether it’s more time with family, reduced stress from commuting, or the autonomy to work how you perform best, the advantages are compelling—but they don’t come without a few drawbacks to consider. 

Disadvantages of remote working

Working from home might have seemed like a fantasy come true at first, it has its own set of challenges. For many of those who swapped their office desks for dining tables or home offices, the shift brought about a new set of realities they didn’t anticipate.

Each of these factors might not only affect how you work, but also how you feel about your job. In the next few sections, we’ll take a closer look at how these challenges could be impacting you and what you might do to mitigate them if remote work is your reality.

Loss of work-life balance

When your home also becomes your office, distinguishing between work time and personal time can start to feel impossible. For many, the home office never truly closes, which can lead to working hours stretching well into the evening—time that used to be reserved for unwinding or spending time with family. 

This removal of boundaries doesn’t just potentially increase your work hours; it can also diminish the quality of your downtime.

Without the physical commute that mentally separates our work life from our home life, it’s tough to ‘switch off’ from professional duties. The laptop is always there, tempting you to check just one more email or tweak that presentation slide. This might seem productive in the short term, but it’s a setup for burnout. Over time, this continuous work cycle can lead to decreased job satisfaction and mental fatigue. 

The key to avoiding these disadvantages of remote work is finding ways to firmly establish when the workday begins and ends, or occasionally spending time away at a coworking space to reinforce those boundaries. 

Isolation and loneliness

Working remotely can often mean working in isolation, especially for those who live alone or whose social interactions were primarily through their workplace. The casual, often spontaneous conversations by the water cooler or during lunch breaks play a crucial role in our daily work environment—not just for socialising but for networking, brainstorming, and fostering a sense of belonging and team cohesion.

Without these interactions, many remote workers find themselves feeling disconnected, not just from their colleagues but from the larger organisational culture and mission. This detachment can affect more than just morale; it can impact collaboration and overall job performance. Long-term, this sense of isolation can lead to feelings of loneliness, which are proven detriments to mental health.

Poor communication and productivity

It’s a bit of a myth that just because we have all these digital tools, working remotely means we’ll always communicate well—but a lot can get lost in translation. 

Messages and emails can be misunderstood because they lack the immediate feedback of face-to-face conversations. This can lead to mix-ups and delays, slowing everything down. Suddenly, tasks that used to take a quick chat now need a scheduled call, and it might not happen until everyone’s calendars line up.

Plus, not everyone is cut out for working in solitude. While some may relish the quiet, others might find it downright uninspiring. The home environment, with its personal distractions, can also make it tough to keep focused, hitting productivity hard. Companies can help by setting clear guidelines on how to communicate effectively in a remote setting, or reserving in-person meeting rooms for team presentations. 

Increased utility bills

Now that you’re working from home, think about how often your lights are on during the day, or how your heating or cooling runs non-stop. All this means your utility bills are probably climbing. Sure, you’re saving on commuting costs and daily coffees, but now a significant chunk of what you used to spend is going towards keeping your home office lit and comfortable.

This shift in costs—from employer to employee—might not be something you thought about when you dreamt of ditching the daily commute. To manage these creeping expenses, consider making your space more energy-efficient, or take the pressure off your shoulders entirely by acquiring your own dedicated desk in a coworking space. 

Sick leave

When you’re working from home, the lines between being sick enough to take a day off and just soldiering on can get a bit blurry. It’s tempting to keep working through minor illnesses because, well, you’re already home, right? 

Developing this mindset, though, can be one of the largest disadvantages of remote working. Not taking proper sick leave to rest and recover can lead to more serious health issues down the line, affecting not just your productivity, but also your overall well-being.

The merge of the first and second place

When your living room becomes your boardroom, things can get a little complicated. For many, the home is a sanctuary, a place to disconnect from the daily grind. When it doubles as an office, that sanctuary can feel invaded.

This overlap can create a mental environment where it’s difficult to switch off from work mode, potentially leading to increased stress and reduced productivity. Furthermore, the physical space of your home may not be optimised for work, lacking ergonomic office furniture or a suitable setup, which can lead to discomfort and even injury over time.

The merge also changes the dynamics of how we interact with others. Without the structured social interactions that the office environment naturally fosters, people may feel more isolated. This is why creating clear boundaries and finding balance is key to maintaining both productivity and well-being in this merged environment.

Gen Z and remote work

Gen Z’s entrance into the workforce comes at a time when remote work is becoming more normalised, yet their expectations and experiences with it could redefine future work cultures. So far, Gen Z seems to appreciate the flexibility that remote work offers, but they also value engagement and connection, which can be challenging to achieve remotely.

Understanding Gen Z’s nuanced perspective on remote work is crucial because their preferences will shape the evolving landscape of work. Companies looking to attract and retain this generation will need to develop hybrid models that balance flexibility with opportunities for in-person engagement. 

This approach not only caters to Gen Z’s preferences but also sets a precedent for a future where the workplace can be anywhere and more human-centric than ever.

The best of both

While the disadvantages of remote working for employees are concerning, innovative solutions like coworking spaces are making it easier to balance the challenges. These offer the flexibility of remote work with the community and structure of a traditional office, providing a perfect middle ground. 

Interested in exploring a hybrid work model? Try a day pass to Spacemade’s coworking space to enhance your remote working experience, combining flexibility with productivity in an inspiring professional environment.