Remote work has integrated into society in nearly every industry. In the US alone, over 35 million people worked remotely in 2024 in part-time or full-time roles.
Over the past few years, as virtual and hybrid work have continued to rise in popularity, we’ve seen companies adjust their policies to account for fluctuations in profit, customer service, and worker satisfaction. One consistent concern has been how employers handle inclusivity — making their workers feel seen, heard, and valued, regardless of their unique needs.
Overwhelmingly, the results show that remote work, done right, can enhance inclusivity. To ensure your company follows the format to a successful, inclusive integration, it’s essential to understand the upsides and downsides. Here are some top pros and cons of remote work in the workplace to help you guide your business to the ultimate inclusive policies.
1. Pro: Accessibility and Safe Spaces For All
While it’s still imperative to teach your staff about the dos and don’ts of diversity in the workplace, those with specific needs are less likely to feel unsafe in a remote work environment.
Individuals with disabilities who require accommodations frequently have the majority of their needs taken care of in their homes. Employers can make any necessary adjustments to provide the workers with the tools they need to do their jobs without making office space renovations, and the employees don’t have the barrier of commuting or changing their environments to make them accessible.
Whether you and your team work remotely or in a hybrid workspace, you must stay updated on DEI practices. Short for diversity, ethnicity, and inclusion, these guidelines help you recognize unconscious and conscious bias and adjust workplace biases to embrace inclusion. This article by Obsidi® explains more about training your staff and leaders to be diversity-focused and creating policies for workers to follow if they feel unheard or left out.
2. Pro/Con: Expanded Geographic Barriers
Finding the right help can be challenging, particularly if your search is narrowed to a small geographic region. Remote work can eliminate this problem if your business is flexible enough to source global talent.
Hiring people from various parts of the world is a natural way to bring diversity to the business. It opens you up to a wider talent pool, letting you choose who you hire carefully instead of with limited options.
The downside? If your team members must collaborate to do the work, connecting them in real time can be tricky. Consider who you’re hiring and how they’ll work together. Look at their time zones and use your best judgment as to whether they’ll be able to communicate easily enough to do their work without delays.
3. Con: Social Isolation/Lack of Team Cohesiveness
When your team works together, the socialization they get happens organically. It’s not always perfect, but as long as your workplace environment is positive and encouraging, you can count on your team members to do their job without too many issues.
Remote work, on the other hand, leaves a lot to be desired for team cohesiveness. Your workers don’t have as much time to get to know each other, and challenges often become conflicts. Because communication between different time zones, languages, and cultures isn’t always seamless, leaders must adopt proactive approaches to prevent these obstacles.
Some ways to combat this social isolation and disconnectedness include:
- Regular virtual meetings to discuss what’s going well and what needs help,
- Fun team-building activities throughout the year,
- Requesting feedback sporadically to ensure everyone feels included
Keep in mind that everyone’s work environment is different. Unless you talk to each team member individually, you won’t know what variables they deal with when working remotely. With open lines of communication and a culture of appreciation and safety, your workers will feel comfortable coming to you when they face problems that could conflict with their deadlines.
Conclusion
The typical work environment looks significantly different in today’s advanced digital age. Technology and the need for global solutions made remote work an accepted and thriving part of the economy, but this advance has had both positive and negative impacts on inclusivity. Keep your business on the right path to diversity, ethnicity, and inclusion by avoiding the cons and embracing the pros.
