Working from anywhere has become really popular, especially for computer programmers. We’re here to talk about the good and not-so-good things about coding from different places. Today, it’s important to know that 16% of companies around the world have completely embraced remote work, meaning all their employees work from wherever they want. Let’s explore what this means for software developers!
Advantages
Cost Savings
According to conservative estimates by Global Workplace Analytics, a standard U.S. employer has the potential to save an average of $11,000 per half-time telecommute annually. These savings primarily stem from heightened productivity, decreased real estate expenses, lower rates of absenteeism and turnover, and improved disaster preparedness. Below is a data provided by Global Workplace Analytics
Global Workplace Analytics Data
Access to Global Talent Pool
According to PwC data from their PwC’s 27th Annual Global CEO Survey, 80% of CEOs express concerns about sourcing employees possessing the requisite skill sets, particularly in light of the surge in digital technologies. Expanding the talent pool presents an opportunity to explore candidates beyond local, regional, or national boundaries, thereby enhancing the likelihood of addressing these skill gaps.
Expanding recruitment efforts enables employers to tap into a more extensive pool of developers, providing a wider array of choices. This proves especially beneficial in the realm of specialized software development roles, where specific expertise may be rare in local markets. Embracing a global talent market allows companies to discover developers with distinctive skills and experiences, essential for excelling in niche areas where local talent might be constrained.
Environmental Impact
The study, published Sept. 18 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, finds that transitioning from on-site work to remote work has the potential to slash up to 58% of a job’s carbon footprint. Notably, the environmental impacts of IT usage are minimal, while the significance lies in office energy consumption and non-commute travel. Our research
underscores the importance of shaping individuals’ lifestyles, encompassing considerations such as vehicle choices, travel behaviour, and the setup of both home and work environments, to fully realize the environmental benefits associated with remote work.
Disadvantages
Security Risks
Data from Mobile Workforce Report 2021 by Avast Business suggests that amidst the pandemic, 56% of IT decision makers express heightened concerns regarding security within their companies. A significant 33% of employees working from home utilize personal devices devoid of security controls to connect to their business networks. Additionally, 24% of companies have either permitted or encouraged employees to use personal devices for remote work due to resource constraints. Alarmingly, 36% of workers report a lack of remote working guidelines from their companies, emphasizing potential gaps in cybersecurity awareness and protocols. Furthermore, 28% of workers admit to adopting a more relaxed approach to IT security while working from home, underscoring the need for enhanced awareness and measures to mitigate potential risks in the remote work landscape.
Onboarding and Training Challenges
Effective onboarding plays a pivotal role in ensuring employee success. Research from Glassdoor indicates that organizations boasting robust onboarding programs can witness an impressive 82% improvement in employee retention and a productivity surge exceeding 70%. This underscores the significance of meticulously crafting remote onboarding processes, emphasizing the need to provide new hires with the essential tools and information required for their success.
Welcoming and training new software developers poses distinct challenges in a remote environment. The process demands extra effort to seamlessly integrate new hires into the development team and familiarize them with the intricacies of company processes. Remote settings can amplify the complexities of onboarding in software development, emphasizing the need for targeted strategies to foster effective integration and understanding among new team members.
Employee Discipline and Potential Distractions
Let’s be real. In the office, we sneak peeks at YouTube or scroll through social media, making sure the boss doesn’t catch us. Now, picture working from home as a software developer, surrounded by family and tons of distractions. You can’t avoid getting pulled away from work sometimes, and that might hurt your productivity.
Some developers, discipline isn’t always our strong suit; we often need our boss’s guidance. Now, think about working from home without that structure. It’s a ticking time bomb, ready to mess with our productivity and focus
In wrapping up our discussion on remote work for software developers, it’s clear that many companies, about 16% worldwide, have fully embraced this trend. However, there are challenges to consider. Security risks are significant, with many employees using personal devices without proper security measures. Onboarding and training new developers remotely can be tricky, requiring specific strategies for success. On the bright side, remote work saves money, offers access to a global talent pool, and reduces carbon footprints by up to 58%. Despite the benefits, it’s important to address challenges like security and training to make remote work truly effective for software developers in the long run.
References:
Avast Business. (2021). Mobile Workforce Report 2021. Retrieved from https://www.avast.com/en-za/business/resources/case-study/mobile-workforce-2021#pc
Laurano, M. (August 2015). The True Cost of a Bad Hire. Retrieved from https://b2b-assets.glassdoor.com/the-true-cost-of-a-bad-hire.pdf
Global Workplace Analytics. (n.d.). Latest Work-at-Home/Telecommuting/Remote Work Statistics. Retrieved from https://globalworkplaceanalytics.com/telecommuting-statistics
PwC. (n.d.). PwC’s 27th Annual Global CEO Survey. Retrieved from https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/issues/c-suite-insights/ceo-survey.html
National Academy of Sciences. (n.d.). Climate mitigation potentials of teleworking are sensitive to changes in lifestyle and workplace rather than ICT usage. Retrieved from https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2304099120
