Could Remote Working Be Holding Employees Back from Career Progression?

Although the majority of employers were required to enforce a work-from-home policy during the coronavirus pandemic, many employees have grown accustomed to working from home. Many were experiencing the benefits of remote working for the first time and now a large percentage of employers are choosing to adopt a more flexible or hybrid approach for their workforce, allowing team members to work from home for a few days a week.

There are undoubtedly a number of reasons why employees might prefer working from home, and ultimately request more flexible working opportunities - a shorter and cheaper commute, no need to worry about parking and a homemade lunch each day. Yet while these are all very nice perks to have, what about the long-term picture?

A recent Gartner survey, reported in the Wall Street Journal, found that 43% of remote workers and 49% of hybrid workers were more engaged than their onsite colleagues (of which only 35% were highly engaged). Despite this, some managers still believe that remote workers are less productive, which can mean they are not as readily considered for promotions and salary increases. If staff are working from home more often than not, is there a risk that they could become disadvantaged and ultimately be treated less favourably? Might valuable staff begin to feel isolated or undervalued? Ultimately, can working from home affect career progression?

The effects of working from home

It’s broadly accepted that people will never return to work in the same way as before, and offices will not be filled to the same capacity as they were pre-pandemic. There are, of course, many predictions about the long-term effect that this might have on businesses, with some people supporting this enhanced work/life balance and others fearing its impact.

In the UK, Chancellor Rishi Sunak has warned that younger employees working from home risk damaging their career by not being in the office, and research has shown that he’s not the only one - 69% of business leaders, and 62% of the public, believe that those working remotely at the start of their career will likely struggle to progress.

However, while this research has shown that younger people’s careers are likely to suffer (or at least, that this is the perception), remote working could benefit other groups of employees - some of whom have been traditionally disadvantaged in the workplace.

When surveyed, 65% of business leaders and 56% of the public believed that remote working will be advantageous to the careers of women, many of whom have traditionally had to balance work with family, childcare and other caring responsibilities. Similarly, the same surveyed group believed that remote working will be beneficial for those who have mental health issues or disabilities.

So, if it is the case that there will be more remote workers than ever before, how can managers and employers ensure that employees are not held back from career progression?

1. Counteracting the lack of visibility

When an employer has adopted a flexible or hybrid approach to working, it’s crucial that they are able to counteract the lack of visibility for anybody working from home. First and foremost, it’s vital that employers keep track of what is planned for each day – in other words, which staff are planning to work from home and who is coming into the office. If someone is absent from the workplace, it may be easy to assume that they have just chosen to stay at home. However, they might well be on annual leave or be running late. In short, it’s easy to overlook someone when they are not present and visible - but this is a dangerous and potentially costly mistake.

This same pattern of thinking might occur when managers are considering which employees are available to work on certain projects, or to attend particular meetings. Employees in the workplace naturally have more of a physical presence and may use their visibility to request that they are chosen for any opportunities that arise - perhaps even before those working remotely get a chance to hear about them. As a result, those employees working from home may find themselves at a significant disadvantage. By missing out on important opportunities to demonstrate their value, they could be overlooked when delegating greater responsibilities and see their careers hindered.

On a basic level, it’s important that employers have some form of tracking software in place. This should not necessarily keep a rigid track of their employees’ activity, but should account for the successful completion of work and how much time has been allocated to specific projects. Having a reliable record of work produced by each will put them in good stead, showcasing their completed workload and helping their career progression. Employers should ensure that the entire team is aware of individual team members’ workloads so that nobody is left guessing as to what needs to be done, or without the necessary support.

Remote workers also share some responsibility in ensuring that they are present and visible, rather than waiting to be asked. Virtual workspaces and video conferencing software, such as Slack or Teams, are an easy way to keep in touch with colleagues in and out of the workplace. Engaging with these platforms and appearing on camera is crucial for those looking to make a good impression, stay front-of-mind for any opportunities and ultimately progress their career.

2. Maintaining team morale

There is a famous old saying that ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’, but that rarely applies to working relationships. Building a professional relationship with your colleagues can be a difficult process when remote working - just ask anyone who has started a new job during the pandemic! One of the most considerable drawbacks of working remotely is the impact it has on the relationships between fellow employees and of managers with their employers. This in turn can have a negative impact on the overall morale of a team, as without these relationships, people are more likely to feel isolated and unsupported.

Younger employees, especially those of Generation Z, generally thrive best when they work interactively within a team. While these relationships are beneficial for general professional wellbeing, they also act as a form of informal mentoring, and can help to motivate and encourage younger team members, which in turn helps to progress their careers. It’s usually easier to build these relationships in person, but it is just as important to build and maintain these relationships for remote workers too.

Managers have a responsibility to ensure that they are building positive professional relationships between members within their team, whether this is via face-to-face meetings or frequent check-ins via Zoom. After-work social events can also be a great way for employees to bond in a more informal setting - so long as you ensure that remote workers are included in these social activities too.

One way to get feedback from your team - and ensure that everyone is feeling good - is to conduct staff engagement surveys with both office-based and remote workers, helping you to identify and break down any obstacles.

3. Promoting equality in the workplace

When a workforce is split between home and the office, it’s vital to ensure that there is equality between all team members. In this regard, ensuring that managers are focused on maintaining relationships with all their employees must be a key objective. Achieving this not only means that good connections are maintained between remote workers and their managers, but also that managers are better equipped to represent the thoughts and opinions of those working from home to the wider business, as well as representing the visibility of more junior remote staff to senior management.

Managers may not necessarily have the right skills to do this from the outset and will often benefit from training in how to achieve successful remote working within their team. HR consultants can help to facilitate this, and ensure managers are fully equipped to get the best from their teams.

Final thoughts

Ultimately, the world has changed post-pandemic, and the role of the office is set to change with it. With more people working from home than ever before, it’s imperative that employers ensure they are offering equal opportunities for those based both in and out of the office, and that this is prioritized when adopting a flexible or hybrid approach.

A happy and healthy employee - namely one that has a good work/life balance - is much more likely to be successful in their role than one who feels pressured to be present in the office every single day. In turn, they will be more successful in their role, and hopefully pave the way for years of career progression.