Remote Workers – Are They More Engaged Than Their On-Site Counterparts?

There are two different types of workers in a modern workplace – those who work on-site, and those who work remotely. What interests employers and those higher-up in the chain of command is that the remote workers are more engaged, focused, committed and appreciative of their work than on-site workers. So, why is this?

One of the primary factors which affects the efficiency and productivity of a worker is their proximity to the main workforce. This makes sense to a lot of people, and we can, of course, understand why – a workforce which is connected and close together would surely be able to communicate more easily than a single person working remotely, because it is easier to speak to someone who is less than 20 feet away from you than someone who works remotely, right? However, the fact is that the proximity is taken for granted. The leaders and managers become so complacent that they do not even meet their subordinates for days. They write emails to communicate with them.

On the other hand managers and bosses who work with remote workers do not have that proximity and can not speak to people in the same way. However, they use alternative methods to stay connected with their co-workers such as VoIP and unified communications system, which actually allows them to communicate in a better way. They use telephones, emails, videoconferencing, instant messaging and voice mail to stay connected. Therefore, the message, which is conveyed, becomes clearer, more concise and much more comprehensive.

In addition, the managers also make a conscious effort to speak and stay connected
with people who work remotely. They also try to be more focused and try to reduce the distractions and make the best use of their time during their meetings. They try to tailor their conversation to suit an employee and make sure that they communicate effectively. All of this results in remote workers being more appreciative of their work. It also makes them more focused and engaged.

Overall, we can not say that remote workers are better than on-site workers. However, it is worth noting that those workers who work remotely can become more committed to their tasks, and become more of an asset than those who find themselves growing complacent within the office environment. You may find that by changing your working system – by allowing your workers to work remotely once a week – might well help boost efficiency. Also, by using a unified communications system to enable collaboration, you could see a rise in the engagement and overall productivity of your workforce.