On any given year you could be spending 26.5 days commuting to work. I can think of at least 100 things I’d really rather be doing so I’ve become more than a little obsessed with putting into practice and constantly reviewing the idea of working remote & productivity.
I recently gave a talk on how to stay productive while working remote at the DDDPerth 2022 conference. DDD is one of the largest events organised by the tech community for the tech community (you can read more about my role as Director of Media here as a separate side quest) with an attendance of well over 1000 humans.
One of the core events we’ve been navigating for well over 5 years is operating remote. With two of our team in Victoria and New South Wales it can be isolating and create different challenges when it comes to productivity. Daylight savings (or lack of) can be an advantage or a curse. Out of sync sleep cycles can create space for communication breakdowns.
As a business you could see this as an opportunity to downsize, to reduce operating cost & invest more in people & technology.
Ming Johanson #DDDPerth
I believe that remote work is something that should be a part of every business strategy meeting moving forward. The ability to create a workplace that supports it’s teams lifestyles / bio-rhythms / accessibility needs will become an unrealised necessity.
There’s no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on our working lives. Whether we’re struggling with remote work fatigue, dealing with the fallout of long COVID-19 or simply trying to stay afloat in uncertain times, it’s been tough. There’s one silver lining to all of this: remote work is becoming more and more mainstream. And while remote work comes with its own challenges, it also has the potential to do more for financial security than any other working arrangement.
Remote work gives employees a lot more control over their time and schedule. This means that workers can better manage their workload in a way that works for them; rather than being at the mercy of an inflexible boss or company policy. Additionally, remote work opens up opportunities for employees to work from cheaper locations, which can lead to significant savings over time. Finally, remote work gives employees the ability to pursue multiple income streams, which can provide a much-needed safety net in these uncertain times.
So while remote work may not be perfect, it’s clear that it has the potential to do a lot of good for workers’ financial security. And in these uncertain times, that’s something we can all use a little more of.
You can playback my full talk from DDD Perth 2022 below.
Extra reading:
Forbes: The Impact of Remote Work on Productivity & Creativity
McKinsey: What’s next for remote work: An analysis of 2,000 tasks, 800 jobs, and nine countries
