The biggest takeaway from Surviving Remote Work by Sharon Koifman has been that employees always had the potential to work in a remote environment without constant managerial oversight and still be extremely productive.
Whereas we always had the opportunity and could have created a better environment where employees could achieve higher work-life balance and were happier, we were forcing ourselves to stay cooped up in an office environment. So why is it that so many managers and workers still fear remote work?
At the beginning of the industrial revolution, the way we lived started changing. From farms to factories – our lives were upgraded. The steady paycheck that provided the security of taking care of family enabled people to buy things they needed that were beyond what they could have hoped for. The stability and security of a steady job and a steady paycheck is undeniable.
While we move up globally, companies are looking for top talent. A job is no longer a commodity; it is a highly sought after position and not affordable to many. Even an entry-level job has thousands of competitors. So, while companies have a lot of options, workers are increasingly becoming concerned about their prospects. Job insecurity is on the rise, and the thought of remote worker sends shivers down the spine of our workforce because they consider it akin to losing their job.
Bosses and managers have been working for years to create a culture and process in the workplace. According to them, if that culture is working, the company is doing well. Now that there is no way to ignore the remote work elephant in the room, managers must focus on the more important aspects of culture in the stay-at-home workforce.
How To Improve Productivity And Communication?
Many of us are not aware that the tools we have available at hand can create a better work environment for our staff. The change might not have been voluntary, but now that it is inevitable, you must adapt quickly to survive. Don’t let your years of conditioned programming trick you into thinking that anything other than working in an office environment is unnatural.
Another worry that many fear with remote work is that that the second we move to a remote working environment jobs may be outsourced. Now that we are in the middle of the crisis, the unemployment rate in those countries has not changed. There is still a demand for products for consumers around the globe.
When there are more consumers, the economy flourishes, and we create more opportunities in Western countries. As a boss or manager, the employment challenges you face can be legitimately resolved without fearing that your job will be outsourced.
In this book, Sharon hits the bull’s eye. He forces us to face the realities of the new world reality and shows us how to conquer it. If you are a manager managing a remote team, this book must be on your to-read list if you want to make your team comfortable with the remote working scenario. Find your copy of Surviving Remote Work on Amazon.