Remote vs. On-site: The Big Debate
The remote vs. on-site debate has been a big divide in the world of work these past couple years, and even more so for my generation who struggled through online school during COVID-19 and has grown comfortable working from home. Working in recruiting we see both sides.
From the employer’s standpoint, how can you guarantee the work is getting done? On the flip side for employees, it encourages a better work life balance and, in some cases, has increased productivity. However, we have seen a sharp increase in the entitlement that candidates have regarding remote work. A recurring theme we hear when talking to candidates is, “My last position was remote so why can’t this new position be remote”?
I am here to break the news to you all: not all jobs are work from home jobs.
From a recruiter’s standpoint, only wanting to work remote heavily decreases your marketability to future employers. We have candidates on a weekly basis who are great for a position but do not want to come in to do the work. A simple answer to this conflict is creating a hybrid work week. Hybrid work weeks have grown in popularity post COVID-19 and it seems to be a win-win scenario for both employers and employees. Most hybrid schedules require an employee to be in office 2-3 times a week with the other days being remote.
There are multiple other models, such as setting a monthly percentage in office and the employees can pick the days. The hybrid model seems to be the fix to this issue because of the flexibility of the schedule but the discipline of showing up to work is still set in place.
This hybrid schedule is also great for new or less experienced employees to learn from experienced professionals in their field. These in person learning experiences cannot be made up for over Zoom or through email. When starting off in recruiting most all of my training was done in office by listening to other recruiters’ phone calls or scrolling through candidates’ resumes with them. This in person experience is critical for those remote days so that you know how to handle the work on your own.
On the flip side of the debate, there are some companies that operate fully remote and it works well for them. There are no overhead costs such as paying rent for an office, relocation assistance, buying office supplies, etc. This fully remote model works for them and their employees enjoy the work-life balance.
Leaving a fully remote environment can be tough. We also recognize that working on-site is not an option for some individuals based on certain circumstances. However, some individuals we find are maybe just scared to make the jump. They have worked remote and gotten used to a certain lifestyle and now having a job requiring them to come in is out of their comfort zone. Here’s the thing: you will never achieve your goals by staying in your comfort zone.
To wrap up things up, and to stop lecturing you all, here are my final thoughts. Stepping outside of your comfort zone and working hybrid or completely on-site is only going to help you grow as a business professional and push you outside your comfort zone. Remote is here to stay for some companies but do not let an opportunity pass you by because you have become accustomed to fully remote work. As always, happy hunting!