Why do remote teams fail in 2020? A combination of factors cause remote teams to fail, but most of those things are communication related. Remote teams still share the same goals as their in-house counterparts: collaborate, sharing information, and offering each other assistance.
There are a multitude of other challenges though, for remote teams in 2020. This requires us and our teams to think differently while having our conversations through Slack instead of over the water cooler.
Why do remote teams fail in 2020?
Communication is the number one biggest reason that remote teams fail in 2020. Remote workers often develop a “tunnel vision” where they are worried about their work, and about the relationship with their manager, according to Management Issues. Working remotely actually requires more proactive communication, not less.
Without much accidental or incidental communication, communication suffers. Because of this we may not know about projects until their completion, which can make things more difficult. This can lead to a disconnect in teams.
“In an article on the Aha Blog, company co-founder and CEO Brian de Haaff suggests that the best barometer for gauging a team member’s likelihood of succeeding in a remote work arrangement is whether or not they are a “super responsive, super clear communicator” says Taskworld. This breaks down into four key characteristics: being present, quick, direct, and spirited. Using this, you can gauge team fit for current and future team members.
Collaboration Changes
Instead of face-to-face engagement and collaboration, Slack, Trello, and other apps have become our number one way to collaborate with other team members.
Evidence from Upwork shows 73% of people will be working remote at least sometimes by 2028 (though this is a pre-pandemic figure). 88% of businesses globally encouraged remote work to some extent during the pandemic. Collaboration is a reason why remote teams fail in 2020.
Benefits to remote work in 2020
80% of remote workers experience less work related stress. Less is best in this case. Fewer distractions exist at home for many people. 75% of people who work from home do so due to a lack of distractions. Companies that allow for remote work have a 25% lower employee turnover rate.
Cons of remote work and why remote teams fail in 2020
19% of work from home employees report loneliness as their biggest challenge. It seems those discussions over the water cooler meant something after all. This can cause a significant decease in people’s mental and emotional well-being.
54% of IT workers say remote workers are a greater security risk than their in house counterparts. 20% of remote workers say communication is a problem for them as well. That is a decently high percentage of workers.
Check out our take on remote work here.
