Last updated on November 2nd, 2022 at 11:51 am
Teleworking has now been an integral part of French daily life since the start of the health crisis. Made possible thanks to new technological and digital tools, it has certain advantages but also disadvantages.
Benefits
The advantages of teleworking could be summed up in three words: time saving, flexibility and autonomy.
Telecommuting makes it possible, in general, to better manage one’s daily life and therefore to live it better by putting the time spent in traffic jams to the benefit of family life and leisure. The stress associated with travel (traffic jams, crowded public transport) is considerably reduced.
In addition, telework is often done at home even if there are so-called telework places (coworking space). This allows you to work in a quiet environment, with fewer meetings, less noise, fewer interruptions, which is conducive to concentration.
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Flexibility is also very valuable in the context of teleworking: during breaks, it is often easier and more accessible to indulge in personal activities (sport, siesta, or household chores, etc.). The teleworker manages to better reconcile professional and personal life, which limits the risk of burnout and allows him to remain efficient and motivated.
For the employer, the advantages are thus significant: the employees, less stressed, are more productive and creative.
But each of its advantages has disadvantages.
The inconvenients
Of course, telework has many advantages, but not that… it also has its “flaws”. Among them, loneliness and isolation. Human beings are social beings, and being alone at home encourages withdrawal and increases the risk of depression. In addition, the feeling of belonging (to the company, and more generally to a social group) no longer exists. Even when working remotely, it is therefore wise to keep time “outside of work” with colleagues: virtual or physical breakfasts or lunches, informal meetings, etc.
The lack of supervision can also be a disadvantage. If teleworking promotes autonomy, it can, especially for juniors, give the impression of not feeling sufficiently supported and supervised by the manager(s).
Finally, teleworking allows more calm and concentration provided you have a space at home dedicated to work. Also, relatives should understand that in telework there is the word “work” so as not to be constantly disturbed and interrupted.
Similarly, the teleworker must put a barrier between work and personal life because it can be tempting to answer emails on weekends or in the evening, as they are used to working from home.
In short, there is no ideal, and as in many things, the happy medium is to be adopted. This is why some companies offer alternating between remote work and office work. This preserves social ties and supervision while promoting autonomy and freedom.
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