I might start working remotely full-time in a few months, so I would like to hear about some of its downsides. Can you share stories of remote working that didn't go as wonderfully as described in this (promotional) video?
- Give yourself a dedicated space (very preferably behind a door that closes if you don't live alone)
- Give it a few weeks. It takes getting used to, so avoid entertaining "This just isn't working out" feelings for a while. Took me a bit to get used to the quiet for one thing!
- Be social! Visit the office when you can, don't be afraid to talk about not-work in chat rooms, etc. Office chit-chat and lunches together have value, they enrich your relationship with colleagues and keep humanity levels high in work debates. I find I can find myself with shorter patience if I haven't been "hanging out" with coworkers for a while.
- Work for a remote team. Being the one-remote-guy on a team is a challenge. Remote working works best when the team is committed to working asynchronously, when the chat-room is the office, etc.
The last bit is key. Most of the stories I've heard about it not working out had a lot more to do with the team not actually being committed to remote working than some fundamental flaw in remoteness.
IMO, this is one of the best pieces of advice you can give. This is also one of the things that I got very wrong for a while.
Don't work where you decompress. Don't decompress where you work. Otherwise the two start blending together and both suffer.
If your living situation isn't suited for a dedicated workspace, don't fall in the trap of working from your couch or kitchen table every day. I've had days where I worked from a coffee shop in the morning, drove to a park and sat under a tree when I could work completely offline, and finished the evening at a pub typing over a pint or two. And I still accomplished more than the days I'd sit on my couch and "work" while marathoning Star Trek.
* They miss the casual social interaction
* If, like us you're in an environment where some people home work but most don't you can find some ways of working can disadvantage home workers - standups are a good example - for remote workers to really be part of it you need the board to either be visible by camera (or virtualised) and you need good audio so they can hear and be heard
On the last point: home working requires the company to invest money and time in working out how to get the best from the home workers. Be wary about anyone who allows it having not done this.
I've been working remotely again for the past 3 years, with good success. It's been a boon to me since I've had to move twice, but was able to keep the same job.
I love working remotely for all the reasons 37signals hit on the their video, but there are some downsides:
1. loneliness - This may still be preferable to some office situations, but it can wear on you. Web chat, coffee shops, and coworking spaces combat this, but still.
2. distractions - You can also waste a whole day at work if you are in an office (and offices have their own distractions), but I still think greater self discipline is needed to stay on task working from home.
3. poor work/life division - Contradicting #2, it can be hard to STOP working. I find myself working while I eat dinner, on weekends, and late in to the night.
4. "out of the loop" - Especially if the whole company isn't remote, you can quickly become "out of the loop". Even if the company makes a big effort to have frequent virtual meetings and CC you on discussions, you will miss out on random office discussions/overheard phone conversations/etc.
Also, while this may be a somewhat touchy subject, I can work when there is actually work to be done, and do something else when there isn't. I think that's the best part. There is actually incentive to get things done as quickly and efficiently as possible. I know when I get done what I need to I can stop for the day, but if I was in a typical office, I would need to be there all day regardless of how much work needed to be done that day.
One is overwork, because you are remote it's easy to work more hours than necessary trying to fix a problem. To fix this set a convenient and flexible work schedule for yourself. Try to maintain those hours, so you know you are off work anytime after those hours. You can also mix it up, work long hours some days and less hours on other days.
Another downside is friends and family will think you have all the time in the world, even though they mean well, they will often try to fit some favor into your schedule, like pick up the niece, the friend from the airport, help me move etc. You need to know how much you can help your friends and still be productive.
2. It's hard to feel like I have the true freedom of working from home due to people being in an office. It's a lot harder for them to see I'm away from the desk. This may have been exaggerated a bit by the fact remote workers were all EST while officer workers were PST. In this video it's clear everyone is all over so stricter hours are harder to enforce.