Remote Work: Disadvantages (Cons)

Cyber Security

Traveling always presents potential hazards. However, if you’re traveling or working remotely, it’s possible you’re putting sensitive information at risk. Public networks found in hotels and airports that are unsecured give eavesdroppers an opportunity to monitor your online activity.

Financial statements as well as usernames and passwords may be compromised from using an unsecured network. It can be difficult to avoid these networks while away from home, which is why frequent travelers, including remote workers, should use a VPN to protect their online anonymity.

Also, when you work offline in a public place, there is an huge risk that other people may see what you are doing on your laptop. In such a scenario you should consider buying a privacy filter for your laptop.

A lack of communication

One of the most difficult aspects of a remote jobs is loneliness. In an office, you typically spend time every day with people or close enough to people you can get some socialization. However, if you’re working in your living room by yourself all day, there is no need to talk to anyone and as a result, loneliness can set in.

“When you only see teammates in chat or a weekly video call, it’s hard to develop the tight-knit camaraderie that makes for truly great teams.” 

Working independently with just a computer screen to keep you company is vastly different from the hustle and bustle of an office. There’s going to be some loss in camaraderie since you won’t see your team face-to-face every day.

“There is extra coordination cost and overhead when it comes to dealing with remote workers. And there are times you just want everybody in a big room together to hash things out. This is obviously harder with a distributed team.” (source)

A lack of discipline

Being in an office can be motivating in itself—not to say force you to at least pretend to be motivated. People work, or at least make a conscious effort to do work because:

1. Other people around them are working, and they can see that;
2. These other people around them would be able see they were to slack off.

Distractions

When you finally have the freedom to work from wherever you want, whenever you want, it can be easy to get a little…distracted.

We often see photos representing remote work which portray a parent holding a child and typing on a laptop, often sitting on a sofa or living-room floor. In fact, this is a terrible representation of effective virtual work.

Loneliness

One of the most difficult aspects of a remote jobs is loneliness. In an office, you typically spend time every day with people or close enough to people you can get some socialization. However, if you’re working in your living room by yourself all day, there is no need to talk to anyone and as a result, loneliness can set in.