Beware of remote working pitfalls

Employers need to keep a closer watch on employees’ physical and mental well-being as well as team unity. By Sorayuth Vathanavisuth

It’s now been two years since we first encountered Covid-19, during which time most organisations have become familiar with remote working, among many other adjustments. As we accept and prepare to live with Covid, and maybe future pandemics, requiring all employees to come to the office every day is certainly a thing of the past.

Remote working provides a number of benefits but it also comes with a downside. We can expect more firms to adopt a hybrid system, combining work from home (WFH) and work on-site, as a normal practice from now on. Some have already embraced “work from anywhere”, under which workers do not need to come to the office if they and their immediate supervisor can agree on expected results and ways to measure them.

The possibilities offered by augmented reality (AR) technology and the metaverse concept will push the way we think about working in new directions as well. We cannot turn back the clock, but we can be well prepared for this journey. Let’s explore the various issues involved, especially the ones the organisation may not be able to directly influence and control.

Health and well-being: Working alone in one’s own place may seem like an ideal situation, but the pandemic experience has revealed a less pleasant reality. Mental stress has turned out to be a bigger issue than most people thought it would be.

For people whose jobs require them to participate in back-to-back meetings, doing so from home via video conference can be very stressful. Remote workers also tend to have irregular mealtimes and do more eating between meals than their in-office peers. Poor diet discipline coupled with less exercise — many workers missed their usual gym routine for months — can lead to more health problems.

Many people also miss the small talk in the office environment, which fills a fundamental need for social interaction. Mental stress tends to build up gradually, making it hard for managers or supervisors to predict how employees will perform over the long term.

Self-focus and trust: Although a company can provide technical support for IT and other functions, employees still have to handle a number of problems themselves. This can discourage inclusivity and distance people from other team members, since they feel they have to rely on themselves. If this thinking persists, people will start to value teamwork less, and wrongly think that they as individuals are more important to the firm than they really are.

This is why trust between boss and employee is critical since it is the only tangible link between employees and the firm. In this regard, senior executives have to ensure that managers are capable of leading their teams and delivering results without having to resort to unacceptable behaviour or abuse of authority.

Unity and culture: Human beings generally enjoy company. Some of us like being in large crowds and others are more comfortable with a few friends. In any case, fewer opportunities for in-person meeting can lead to a reduced feeling of unity.

When the degree of human interaction is lower, people may treat each other much differently than they used to. The result could be a reduction in cooperative practices in the organisation.

This leads us to address the culture issue. Corporate culture, which is normally presented in the form of a statement, should be reviewed in light of the changed circumstances. Leaders need to look at the current level of engagement, and also the fundamental roots of the culture itself, which might be very different from what is stated in the corporate culture statement. This way, a CEO and senior executives can understand and apply proper remote working practices.

Moral compass: In a capitalist economy, moral practices are not on the top of many lists since corporations tend to generate benefits and profits to shareholders first.

Pressure to deliver results can cause people to bend rules. I recall a survey of 271 executives in which 79 were in the 30th percentile or lower when it came to moral values. This meant they were more likely to do things their own way even if they have to bend the rules.

Hence, in order to prevent wrongdoing and short-sighted decision-making when more people are working remotely and away from supervisors, an organisation must ensure that there are firm and clearly communicated guidelines on legal, moral and privacy issues, and what can or cannot be done.

Here in Thailand, for example, the Personal Data Protection Act will take effect in June next year, with major implications for data security and IT governance. Businesses need make sure that all responsible persons know what will be required.

Remote working is certainly here to stay, and organisations need to carefully explore the pros and cons: 100% WFH, hybrid working, work anywhere, even AR offices. It has certainly become a critical issue for all CEOs and senior managers to address.

‘‘ When the degree of human interaction is lower, people may treat each other much differently than they used to.