Remote work has had its challenges, but as the workplace begins its return to normal, many of us are seeing a silver lining
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Remote work has had its challenges, which many of us have experienced, felt deeply and been reminded about constantly. Research that Lynn has done regarding interpretations during a change suggests that as one adjusts to key events (and certainly the pandemic qualifies), we see “double” — the old and the new overlapping, what was and what is, the pros and the cons. Initially we tend to focus on what we are losing, are missing or what used to be. But then we start to see what we are gaining as a new picture comes into sharper relief. As the workplace begins its return to normal, many of us are seeing a silver lining.
And we like what we see. Remote work offers benefits if we move with intention about the aspects important to us. Here are five advantages:
Advantage No. 1: Interacting over screens serves as an equalizer. While we remain aware of individuals’ positions within the organizational hierarchy (i.e., who our boss is, who are our peers and subordinates), hierarchy is tempered. We are all put on a level playing field — same size, same frame, identical “Brady Bunch” squares. The result is that we talk to each other differently, more as equals.
Advantage No. 2: Our onscreen persona can be designed based on what is important to us at the click of a button. Literally! We control our environment and virtual presence. We can have fun if we want, be serious when we need to. We can purposefully craft our actual physical space to portray the persona we want seen by others. Or we can use a virtual background to put ourselves anywhere — in a lush garden, at the beach, in the woods, in a library, in front a blank but intriguing wall or surrounded by a company-created virtual background. What is more, we can change that background and thus our persona whenever we want.
Advantage No. 3: We accelerated our learning agility. Necessity is the mother of invention, and we all have become more technologically savvy. We discovered new tools. We have expanded our knowledge about virtual collaborations and found what works best for us. We expanded what is possible for us online, both professionally and personally. We made major purchases (e.g., houses, cars) or interviewed for and accepted new jobs without setting foot in our new place of employment. We figured out how!
[This article has been reproduced with permission from University Of Virginia's Darden School Of Business. This piece originally appeared on Darden Ideas to Action.]