Headsets, webcams, conferencing solutions and other technologies are all a new focus for enterprise companies, IT departments and individuals. Telecommuting has always been a growing market, and due to the global pandemic, firms are adopting new telework practices that are permanent as they realize the benefits of remote work. In fact, since 2005, regular homework positions have increased 173% (among unemployed employees) and Telecommunications in the US has increased by 115% over the past decade. In this blog post, we’ll cover the benefits and disadvantages of working remotely for both employees and employers, and explain how remote working technology can increase these benefits and eliminate disadvantages.

Benefits of Working Remotely

For employees and employers, the COVID-19 pandemic has created a new standard of remote work worldwide. For most people, it proves that employees can be more productive in remote work environments than the office, about 13% more productive according to a Stanford study. What’s more, teleworking creates a less stressful work-life balance for employees, which can provide a significant increase in worker motivation for the employer. In a survey by Owl Labs, 86% of respondents think having the option to work remotely reduces stress levels. According to the Owl Labs survey, this benefit leads to employees willing to stay in their current jobs for the next 5 years, possibly 13% more than onsite workers. Finally, a huge benefit for employers is the cost savings available to them due to remote work. This comes in the form of lower office rent, infrastructure, and monthly utility bills.

Disadvantages of Working Remotely

Despite all these benefits, working remotely has several disadvantages that can prevent companies from fully investing in a mixed or full telework business model. 22% of remote workers say they have difficulty quitting their jobs after working hours. This can result in decreased productivity and employee fatigue. One of the biggest drawbacks is the negative impact on employee communication that can occur when an employee is working remotely. Inter-employee communication is highly dependent on synchronizing a team towards a common goal, and becomes more difficult when these teams cannot meet face-to-face. Fortunately, these drawbacks of employee communication can be rectified by remote working technologies to bridge the gap between face-to-face collaboration and remote working benefits.

How Does Telecommuting Technology Close the Gap?

With the new global standard of remote work accelerated by the coronavirus, technologies that increase their benefits and reduce their disadvantages have also evolved rapidly. Video conferencing and communication platforms such as Grandstream’s IPVideoTalk have been developed to not only bring teams together in a virtual space, but also to provide tools that increase productivity and efficiency. Unified communication solutions have been developed to easily install and configure remote devices as if they were in an office installation. Finally, webcams and headsets are in high demand and are developed to better suit the needs of remote workers.

In the coming months, Grandstream will launch a new line of products and solutions that will greatly expand our telework portfolio and make it easier for businesses and employees to take advantage of teleworking technology. This includes webcams and headsets designed specifically with remote operation in mind.