Remote Work & career growth

Remote working has its pros and cons, but if you’re looking to grow your career and network, it’s not always a good idea. Although remote work has many advantages, it is not for everyone, and what is a dream for some can become an absolute nightmare for others. Some of the drawbacks to consider include:

Isolation

• Working from home can lead to feelings of loneliness and disconnection from coworkers and the company culture. While you occasionally have calls and online meetings with your clients or team members, you will be home alone most of the time. There will be no small pleasures like coffee breaks, lunch together, or sharing weekend plans with colleagues. Some people have difficulty coping with the lack of social interaction. Small joys like gathering with colleagues for a cup of tea or a joint lunch are good ways to dilute the stress of the working day, allowing you to relax. When working remotely, however, you will mostly only communicate with your management and other company employees via email or Skype. It doesn't matter how advanced modern communication technologies are; they still cannot replace live human communication.

  Difficulty in separating work and personal life:

• The lack of physical separation between work and home can make it challenging to switch off from work, leading to burnout. It is possible that your colleagues will work at night, discussing questions about the project, fixing some urgent issue, updating standards, etc. Although it would seem the working day is over, many people do not care about this. On the other hand, if there are deadlines or something needs to be done urgently, your coworkers may try to get you out of bed, and you will not be able to even rest your eyes for a few moments. This is sometimes a plus because the issue is really that urgent. And at the same time, it can also be very upsetting. Often in the office, work is fixed according to set hours. It doesn’t always work like that at a remote job, however.

  Technical issues:

• Remote workers may experience technical difficulties such as slow internet speeds or unreliable hardware, leading to disruptions and delays in their work.

  Need for High Self-Discipline / Lack of structure and routine:

• Without the structure and routine of a physical workplace, some people may struggle to maintain a productive schedule and work effectively. If you're the type of person who prefers a disciplined and structured approach to work, you'll likely be able to work remotely successfully. But productivity can drop very much for those who tend to be easily distracted by social media, entertainment, and other things unrelated to work.

  Communication barriers:

• Communication can be more challenging in a remote setting, leading to misunderstandings and reduced collaboration and teamwork.

  Lack of Career Growth Opportunities:

• From the employer's point of view, it is much more difficult to manage a team of remote employees than people working in the office. Accordingly, they are less likely to be entrusted with the control of an entire project and are more often delegated to solve tasks related only to a specific stage of its implementation. In any case, for specialists in many professions, career growth practically stops when switching to remote work. And team leaders are usually chosen from employees working in the company's office, as this provides a higher level of feedback.