What are the disadvantages of remote workers?

More and more companies see the value of adding or transitioning their employees to remote workers. Understanding the disadvantages will help you better determine if a remote workforce is right for your organization. 

Uncertainty about work and productivity

One of the top concerns that comes to mind is not knowing what remote workers are actually doing and whether they’re putting in an honest eight hours of work. However, there are programs that can monitor employees’ computers at various levels of scrutiny. 

You should examine your work culture and performance indicators for a remote worker. For example, if a remote salesperson is expected to bring in $10,000 in new sales a month, does it really matter if that takes them less than eight hours a day?

Technology and support issues

A lack of control over the technology environment can lead to potential vulnerabilities and data breaches. Remote workers often use their own machines, which may not be up-to-date or secure. 

Technical support for remote workers located in different places is also a challenge. Their physical distance often makes it impractical to send someone to fix computer issues or provide immediate assistance.

Security concerns

Remote workers may have a different level of security measures than in a centralized office environment. Enforcing policies and content blocking becomes more challenging when dealing with remote workers that are scattered across different locations.

Business application challenges

There’s added difficulty in handling software or application-related problems remotely, such as when a computer running essential software crashes. A lack of immediate physical presence can hinder the resolution process and potentially impact productivity.

Are you considering moving part (or all) of your workforce to remote workers? We can set up your organization to maximize your remote workforce and minimize these disadvantages. Contact TeamLogic IT today.