In Japanese society, where commuting to the office every day is a major way to work, remote work has been regarded as a special way of working. However, the work style of remote work is originally something that both the company and employees can enjoy benefits by making good use of it. In this article, we will explain the benefits of promoting remote work for companies, the types of jobs that are compatible, and the points to note when expanding.
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In an era where remote work is the norm
Remote work is a form of work in which work is done away from the workplace, such as at home. It may have been an unfamiliar word until last year, but since the spread of the new coronavirus in 2020, many companies have introduced remote work. Although there are differences depending on the industry and company size, it seems that the introduction rate of remote work is actually 70 to 80% according to various surveys. With the help of this historical background, remote work is gradually becoming the norm.
Benefits for companies working remotely
Let’s take a look at the benefits of companies introducing remote work.
- Securing excellent human resources
- Improved turnover rate
- Cost reduction
Details are provided below.
Securing excellent human resources
First of all, it will be the first merit for companies to make it easier to secure excellent human resources. By not making it a mandatory requirement to come to the office, it is possible to approach all kinds of human resources outside the prefecture and even outside the country. There are individual preferences as to whether to go to the office or work remotely, but it is also a great advantage for job seekers. In fact, we have heard of cases in which even if they received a job offer from a certain company, they gave up on finding a job or changing jobs due to location restrictions. Remote work is a great advantage because it allows you to keep track of top talent by restricting your location.
Improved turnover rate
Another benefit is improved turnover. If there were employees who were considering changing jobs, there should be more than a few employees who said that they would stay in their current position if remote work allowed them to work in a way that suited them better. In addition, even in situations where it is inevitable to take a leave of absence or resign from the office due to life events such as childbirth and childcare, or family circumstances such as nursing care, if remote work is possible, it is possible to shift work hours and shorten working hours. Easier to work and return to work. Improving the turnover rate can also be expected to have the effect of reducing costs in hiring.
Cost reduction
The third advantage for companies is the reduction in costs. Commuting costs are usually incurred when employees go to the office. In addition, there are office running costs such as office rent and utility costs. In order to reduce the rent, it is necessary to change the company operation drastically, but the running cost of the office is not ridiculous. While communicating with employees, reducing the number of office floors, downsizing and relocating, etc., can lead to significant cost reductions if you incorporate it well in conjunction with remote work.
Benefits for employees working remotely
So far, we have introduced the benefits for the company side, but below we will introduce the benefits for the employees (employees).
- Work in your own comfortable environment
- Eliminate the burden of commuting
- Business efficiency
- Balancing family and work
- Motivation up for work
Work in your own comfortable environment
The first advantage is that you can work in an environment that is easy for you to work in. Although desks and chairs have been introduced in the office, the environment where you can concentrate is different for everyone. You can create an environment that is difficult to do in the office, such as placing something you like next to it, listening to music while working, or using your favorite furniture. Also, if you’re at home, you don’t have to worry about how you look. Being able to work in a way that suits you is a big advantage.
Eliminate the burden of commuting
The second benefit is the elimination of the burden of commuting. If you go to the office, you cannot avoid commuting to work every day using some form of transportation, such as the train. When it comes to the burden of commuting, not only the mental and physical burden of moving itself, but also the travel time is necessary. In addition, early risers are also indispensable, considering the minimal amount of grooming and travel time. Commuting to work every day can be more of a burden than you realize. Eliminating the commute will save you a lot of money.
Business efficiency
The third advantage is operational efficiency. If remote work is to be promoted, it will be essential for all companies to digitize documents and procedures. This is a prime example of using a seal as an electronic signature. In addition, if you do not review the communication and business processes in the car, such as prioritizing them, you may not be able to work well. It should lead to improvement of work that has been continued because it can be done face-to-face until now. Furthermore, if you go to work, you will have a lot less chats that you can’t avoid. I think there are pros and cons about this, but I think it will be in the merits.
Balancing family and work
The fourth benefit is balancing family and work. Remote work will eliminate commuting time and reduce internal communication such as drinking more than necessary. This frees up time and money, allowing you to spend more meaningful time with your family. Of course, it can be difficult for families with small children, but having their parents close by is a joy for children too. Even in the case of nursing care, it is possible to balance both depending on the degree.
Motivation up for work
The fifth benefit is increased motivation to work. By choosing the burden of commuting and working in an environment that suits them, the stress of employees is greatly reduced, which leads to work motivation. There are many people who want to contribute to a company that has an environment where employees can work comfortably. As mentioned above, this is also due to the reduction in the turnover rate and the securing of excellent human resources. Also, if there is a constraint that work must be done at this time, it will be less with remote work, so it is also an advantage that you can work flexibly.
Industries and occupations that are compatible with remote work
So far, we have introduced the advantages of remote work for both companies and employees, but it is also true that there are industries and occupations that are suitable for remote work or not. Below are some industries and occupations that are compatible with remote work. Please use it as a reference when choosing a career in the future.
accounting
This is just a matter of digitizing internal work, but it can be said that accounting is compatible with remote work. For example, if documents are digitized due to the promotion of remote work, it will inevitably include receipt management. Conventionally, receipts are often paper, but if employees do not come to work in the first place, there is no choice but to digitize accounting work. Therefore, depending on how remote work is introduced, it can be said that accounting and remote work are compatible.
designer
The second best match would be a designer. Of course, it is necessary to coordinate with the client about deliverables, but basically I often do the work alone. Full remote work is possible if deliverables can be checked using IT tools. I think it depends on the item, but if you look at the job postings, there will be quite a few that allow remote work. Design skills, including sense, are highly individualized, so if you don’t neglect polite communication such as hearing, this is a very compatible job.
System development
The last thing I would like to mention is the work involved in system development. So-called programmer, system engineer. In system development, the main work is to write source code and test, but like designers, it is possible to work anywhere as long as the PC environment is in place. If you have a design document, you can code, and unless there are special restrictions, basically remote testing is possible. However, even here, it will be necessary to carefully communicate with the client, such as at the design stage of the specifications.
Points to note when expanding remote operations
Well, so far, we have introduced the benefits of remote work and the types of jobs that are compatible. On the other hand, it is also true that there are caveats. Here are some things to keep in mind so that you can effectively utilize remote work and lead to better business results.
Maintenance of manuals related to remote work
First of all, it is essential to create guidelines and manuals for remote work. This is because telework/remote work is completely different from the conventional work style of coming to work and doing business, so there will be areas that cannot be covered by existing work rules and guidelines. In particular, it is essential to include task management, communication methods, meeting methods and security measures. Improvements are also required in the method of in-house approval and the process of stamping. Be sure to have some kind of arrangement in place for smooth business execution and risk countermeasures.
Business progress management
Next, it is necessary to pay close attention to the progress management of the work. If you come to the office, you can immediately communicate in the form of “What’s going on with that project?” Since it is impossible for the superior to check the subordinate’s movements one by one, it is necessary to take some countermeasures before trouble occurs. Consider holding weekly meetings with your superiors to check the progress of projects as needed, maintaining relationships that allow for easy contact using internal communication tools, and deciding in advance how to contact you in the event of an emergency. can be
Attendance management
It is also necessary to be aware that work management may differ from the conventional way of working. Since there is no act of coming to work, it is not possible to visualize how many hours worked. Therefore, some kind of consideration, such as reviewing employment rules, is essential. The same is true for evaluation, and there is a high possibility that the business process will not be visualized, resulting in a bias towards results. A performance-based system is also an important aspect for a company, but clear evaluation standards and attendance management methods are required for the entire company or for each department.
summary
What did you think. Remote work has many benefits, such as relaxing restrictions on people’s lives and improving work-life balance. Also, some people prefer remote work and others prefer to come to the office, and each person has a different style. In preparation for the labor shortage due to further population decline in the future, companies are required to consider creating an environment where employees can work comfortably so that excellent human resources will stay for a long time. It would be nice to be able to maximize the benefits and minimize the disadvantages while taking into account the points to be noted.
