Eight Questions – Chapter Four – Part 2 – Managing and Motivating Remote Workers

J. Keith Hughey

Founder

Volume XXI, Number 34 (Issue 1038) August 21, 2023

Eight Questions
Chapter Four – Part 2
Managing and Motivating Remote Workers

In Part 1 we looked at the employer’s point of view when it comes to remote work and their reasons for wanting their people to return to the office. In Part 2 we want to consider what those in the trenches think when it comes to the subject of working from home. It should be noted that the information which follows is the result of a couple of focus group discussions I held not long ago with some white- collar professionals in their twenties, thirties, and early forties. Here is what they had to say.

On the upside (benefits) of working from home:

No commute
Flexibility of schedule
Ability to focus without periodic interruption
Ultra-casual dress
Cost savings
Time savings
Health benefits (isolation from coworkers and an environment where some come to work when they are not feeling well)
Equity
Ability to multi-task (read: deal with personal tasks throughout the day)

Since we had a captive audience of stakeholders, I also asked about the downside of working from home. Their top answers were:

No face-to-face interaction
Difficult to build a sense of team
Loss of culture
Too many distractions
Reduced opportunities for spontaneous brainstorming A sense of isolation (loss of personal connections) Opportunities lost – out of sight, out of mind
Easy to work longer hours and odd hours
Not conducive to customer interaction
Can become stagnated

Taking all this into consideration including the sorts of things a “typical” employee thinks when it comes to both the upside and downside of work from home, it does seem the hybrid model offers the best of both worlds for both employer and employee. In Part 3 we will explore how organizations and leaders can best motivate staff, especially those who spend at least part of their week working remotely.

Soli Deo Gloria

How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! Psalm 133:1

J. Keith Hughey

Mobile: (210)260-0955
E-mail: keith@jkeithhughey.com
Web site: www.jkeithhughey.com

Transforming Potential into Unmatched Performance
Copyright 2023 by J. Keith Hughey. All rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted for reproduction and redistribution of this essay as provided under the copyright laws of the United States of America. The entire early library of Monday Morning Musings issues may be found at www.jkeithhughey.com. Your comments are welcome and encouraged.

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