What is remote working?
Remote working is a type of work arrangement in which an employee works from someplace outside the office, such as a cafe, home, or even a co-working space. In such a scenario, an employee can choose to work from anywhere, a concept often abbreviated as WFX.Remote workers use digital mediums to interact, collaborate and execute projects. They do not face any constraints as long as they have laptops and a stable internet connection.Not to be confused with:
work from home
Work from home (WFH) is a type of remote working arrangement where people work solely from their home.
hybrid workplace
A hybrid workplace is a workplace model that combines work from home and a physical workplace.
Not to be confused with:
How does remote working impact the HR department’s role?
While a remote or hybrid workplace can bring several challenges for the HR team, here are a few aspects that can be exceptionally difficult to navigate.Employee engagementRemote work and virtual meetings can lead to a feeling of disconnection from the job and the company culture. An organization might need to increase their investment in HR tech that makes it easier to engage employees and align them better with the company’s mission.CommunicationIn the absence of open-door policies and free-flowing conversations that were common in the physical workplace, opening up a channel for communication can be a challenge. HR departments might need to get creative with communications in the virtual set-up and concentrate more on regular check-ins and feedback.Employee performanceSince remote work makes direct supervision of the virtual employees difficult, employee performance management becomes difficult. HR professionals will need to re-evaluate benchmarks and update the scope of job roles to make them more remote work-friendly.
