The Long-Term Effects and Viability of Remote Work

This article explores the viability and effects of professional remote work, specifically after the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic. This was for my research for my Professional & Technical Communications class. For this assignment, I was tasked with researching the long-term viability of permanent work-from-home status, and any effects it may have on individuals in the workforce.

Abstract This report dives into the complications brought upon us by the Covid-19 pandemic, specifically, how it affected the workplace and forced many employees worldwide to work remotely at home. Because of this, many employers are curious as to whether remote work is a viable option that can continue after the pandemic and what side effects this may entail. I chose to use quantitative research in order to come to my conclusions. I wanted hard facts and numbers to work with and get accurate information. With this research, I found that remote work is cheaper for employers; employees also prefer it and are just as productive at home as at an office. Keywords: Remote Work, Mental Health, Technology

Introduction

In recent years, certain worldwide events, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, have caused employers and business owners to find new methods of getting work done while keeping their employees safe. Pew Research has shown us that “71% of those with jobs that could be done from home all or most of the time, but it is still much higher than the 23% who say they teleworked frequently before the coronavirus outbreak" (Mitchel, 2023). We can see that before the pandemic, only about 23% of people worked remotely. Then, it jumped to 71% after the outbreak. This has led employers to wonder what the long-term effects of remote work are and if it is a viable option for businesses.

Methodology

In order to have accurate results, we must use quantitative research that will provide cold and hard facts. My first source comes from a real estate agency that deals in commercial real estate. I chose this source because it showed me how much employers spend on office buildings. This was relevant when trying to discover the cheapest option for housing employees. Two of my sources came from Pew Research. These gave me statistics on how many people work from home, how long they have been working from home, and why they work from home; this was highly important when I wanted to know why so many people work from home. They also showed how many people need to start using remote work technology. I also used a source from RingCentral that showed me how productive people were when working from home. This was very relevant information. Finally, I chose to use a source from the American Psychiatric Association. I wanted to see how employees' mental health was after working from home for two years, so I chose this article.

Is Remote Work Cheaper?

The first thing to consider is if remote employees are cheaper than in-house employees. When you have in-house employees, you have to pay for not only all their equipment, training, and possible travel expenses but also have to pay for a physical building for them to work in. The building is the most expensive part of the business. According to Constellation, a commercial real estate firm, "The overall operating costs of small business buildings vary depending on the size of the space, location, building function or special features. Generally, the total operating expenses in a commercial office space equal about $17.68 per square foot" (Constellation, 2023). At first glance, $17.68 does not sound like much money. However, if you consider that office buildings can be massive and have several stories, you will find that the amount adds up very quickly. Based on the expenses of an office building, employers and business owners will save considerable amounts of money by having their employees work from home.

How Does Remote Work Affect Employees Mental Health?

Another issue that employers need to consider when looking at remote work is how the employees are affected by this. After all, they are going through a significant change in their lives. Employees are used to waking up at a particular time, getting dressed, getting ready, and arriving at a work building. Having all of that changed is a massive lifestyle change. According to a study done by Pew Research, "Working form home is a relatively new experience for a majority of worker with jobs that can be done remotely -- 57% say they rarely or never worked from home prior to the coronavirus outbreak" (Parker et al., 2022). Also, it is not made any easier knowing that the cause of this change is a possibly harmful illness.

So, employers should pay much attention to how this affects their employees. It would be unethical to force your employees to do something that deliberately harms their mental health. Also, a good state of mind may affect workplace productivity, which would be good for business. Having employees in a good state of mind is highly important. An article released by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) tells us that "Almost two-thirds of employees feel their employer offers sufficient mental health care resources and benefits (65%) and feel comfortable utilizing mental health services with their employer (64%). The responses were similar across age groups and among Hispanics, African Americans, and whites." (Connors, 2021). This is good to see, as most employees are getting the help they need. In this article, we also find a statement by the APA CEO. He says, "The poll shows us that working from home, while it kept us safe from COVID-19 and brought some benefits , also meant many Americans felt lonely and isolated." (Levin &Connors. 2021). It is sad to see but understandable that people would feel this way about working from home.

Although it is reasonable that loneliness and isolation are the initial responses to remote work, it is interesting to note that there might have been a change of perspective among many in the workforce after a few years of remote work goes by. A Pew research study shows, "The impetus for working from home has shifted considerable since 2020. Today, more workers say they are doing this by choice rather than necessity." (Parker et al., 2022). The study goes on to tell us that "It is easier now for them to balance work with their personal life" (Parker et al., 2022).

It is interesting to see that although the initial response to remote work was negative, it has become increasingly preferred by many in the workforce.

Is Remote Work Productive?

Even if employees seem to like working from home more, remote work is best for the company. When it comes to the subject of remote work productivity, we have to look at two things. We have to look at the following:

1. The technology used

2. How employees perform

The Technology Used:

Thankfully, a lot of computer work that could be done in an office building was easily doable at home. Employees merely had to download the correct software onto their computers at home. However, one big piece of technology became popular during the Covid-19 pandemic. This bit of tech was video conferencing. Although video calling had been around for years before the pandemic, it was used less before then.

It was popular for personal use and became widely adopted by schools and businesses everywhere. Classes and Business meetings could be held without people worrying about the spread of Coronavirus. It also appears that employees are more than happy to use this method. A Pew Research study shows, "Among those who regularly use videoconferencing tools for work, most are not bothered by the amount of time spent on video calls. Roughly three-quarters of working adults who use online conferencing services often (74%) say they are fine with the amount of time they spend on video calls, while 26% say they are worn out by it." (Igielnik, 2022). With almost three-quarters of the workforce approving of this technology, it shows that it is beneficial for remote work.

How Employees Perform:

With the majority of employees preferring to work from home and technology being more than adequate for remote work, we hope that employees would be just as productive working from home as they are working in an office building. Pew Research did some surveying and found that "Six-in-ten of these workers say a major reason they rarely or never work from home is that they prefer working at their workplace, and a similar share (61%) cite feeling more productive at their workplace as a major reason.” (Parker et al., 2022). It would seem that roughly sixty percent of remote workers report being more productive while working at home.

However, a study produced by RingCentral informs us that "In a remote-work environment, employees struggle most with group work (or team-based work).” (“Remote Work,” 2020). So, even though individual employees excel while working from home, they struggle in group projects. This could be because it is harder to communicate with others over technology, even though video conferencing is as popular as it is now.

With technology keeping up with remote work and employees performing well, remote work is just as practical as in-person work.

Conclusion

Employers and business owners everywhere are looking to see if having their employees work from home is viable and works well in the long run. After extensive research, remote work is significantly cheaper than in-person work. Also, many employees enjoy working from home more than going to an office building, even though their initial response was almost the exact opposite. Furthermore, technology has helped make remote work more manageable, and the home environment has made it so that many employees are just as or more productive than they were previously. However, the biggest downside is that it seems to be harder for employees to work together on projects, despite the aid of technology. In conclusion, remote work is a viable option and has a bright future.

References

Connors, Erin. (2021). “As Americans Begin to Return to the Office, Views on Workplace Mental Health Are Mixed.” Psychiatry.org - As Americans Begin to Return to the Office, Views on Workplace Mental Health Are Mixed, 20 https://www.psychiatry.org/newsroom/news-releases/as-americans-begin-to-return-to-the-office-views-on-workplace-mental-health-are-mixed.

Igielnik, Ruth. (2022). “As Telework Continues for Many U.S. Workers, No Sign of Widespread 'Zoom Fatigue'.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2022/05/04/as-telework-continues-for-many-u-s-workers-no-sign-of-widespread-zoom-fatigue/.

“Is Remote Work Sustainable” - RingCentral. (2020) https://netstorage.ringcentral.com/documents/connected_culture_report.pdf.

Mitchell, Travis. (2023). “Covid-19 Pandemic Continues to Reshape Work in America.” Pew Research Center's Social & Demographic Trends Project, Pew Research Center, https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2022/02/16/covid-19-pandemic-continues-to-reshape-work-in-america/.

“Reducing Commercial Real Estate Operating Costs.” Constellation, (n.d.). https://www.constellation.com/solutions/for-your-small-business/small-business-resources/commercial-real-estate.html#.