Welcome to Remotopia - the most futuristic place in the world.
From Right here at home or wherever the wifi takes me.
But this isn’t a new development in the wake of COVID19 and it didn’t just pop up
in the last few years.
French economist, Jacques Attali predicted this 30 years ago.
A world in which rich nomads traveled the world looking for their next gig.
Thankfully remote working extends beyond just the rich.
Some do it from the beaches of Bali as they explore new locales, others do it from small
towns where life is slower and their money goes further.
I asked three people that have worked from home for years, what Remotopia has been like
for them.
So tell me what you enjoy about working remotely.
The thing I like most about working remotely is that I can work anywhere, anytime.
For example, working on this couch behind me is the best place for writing.
If I’m doing any administrative task, I do it best with a cup of coffee and at my
dining room table.
And I just really have learned where I work best and that has really helped me to live
a very flexible and fluid lifestyle while working from home.
Without the commute time of having to go from physical space to physical space, boardroom
to boardroom, really every virtual space is a boardroom now for everyone.
So I can end one call and then in 10 minutes reset myself mentally and intellectually and
be ready for that next conference, that next client without having to travel across the
county or across the metro area.
What I enjoy about working from home is it allows me to continue to provide essential
services to my client on a day in and day out basis while also being here in this essential
time for my family.
Really with technology I’ve been able to turn my bread winner aspect of employment
into being the bread maker at home with my kids during this critical time.
I enjoy working remotely because it allows me the opportunity to balance both my health
and my career.
I believe it’s important that we’re building a remote workforce that’s including those
living with chronic illnesses and disabilities.
That way we too can be afforded the chance to both contribute to the workforce and still
take care of our individual needs.
No matter how enjoyable the Remotopia arrangement becomes, workers must learn to properly balance
screen time with convene time.
As the home space and work space merge into one, third spaces grow even more integral
to functioning societies.
These are the libraries, cafes, and parks.
Sociologist, Ray Oldenberg, calls them Great Good Places.
Where we can emerge from our solo endeavors to step out, connect, and recharge our creative
juices for the future of work.
But sometimes it doesn’t feel very futuristic in Remotopia.
Organizations stuck in their old ways have just brought bad habits along with them as
they transition from the cubicle to the couch.
Leaders need new rules to make the most of this new way of working.
Don’t overstep boundaries or micro manage your team.
Don’t silo your remote workers.
Hmm.
You know, I didn’t think about it like that.
Good point.
Instead, establish a rhythm.
That could be weekly check-ins or a daily standup that brings team members together
and encourages collaborative problem solving.
But most importantly, don’t forget to mute!
Yea, that’s a great idea.
Could you explain that in more detail for everyone else on the call?
[blender sound] Uh oh.
When done right, remote working has plenty of benefits for both workers and organizations
alike.
Cost cutting is the primary benefit.
Some companies have cut costs by $11k per worker through reduced workstation expenses.
Workers save too.
Less spending on wardrobe, transportation, and child care save some up to $7k annually.
Remote working policies also help Win Talent: 1/3 of workers would switch jobs to get remote
working arrangements.
And most important, it’s proving productive.
Remote workers take less sick days and are found to be 13% more productive.
Remote work isn’t just a short term, social distancing solve.
Out of an abundance of caution it has become the de facto arrangement for many of us, but
Remotopia was already emerging as a place of the future.
If you’re new to town, just beware… the going isn’t always easy, especially at first.
But now is the time for your organization to experiment and perfect your approach to
remote working.
Because in the future, Remotopia is where everyone will want to be.
Cognizant will be further exploring Remotopia and many other places where the future of
work is happening today in its forthcoming report “21 Places of the Future”.