Let’s start with the most common excuse that managers give.
#1 Magic only happens when we're all in a room
Well, if you look at studies, you'll see that most work gets done when people are not interrupted. Work never gets done during meetings... and being together in the same room creates this illusion of productivity. But results are not equal to the time spent solving a problem.
The bigger the team, the more interruptions that take place in the office. And that's actually ironic because most employers who refuse adopting remote work list that people will get distracted at home... and not focus when it's the exact opposite.
When you're at home or somewhere else... you can lock yourself in a room, and if you ignore chat or email for 1 hour to focus on a task and get it done, nothing will interrupt you.
There are no co-workers to physically tap your shoulder and ask you about a problem or tell you about their day. The only person that can interrupt you is you. In fact, one of the dangers of remote work is just that. People never fully log off. They stay in this semi-work-mode even after work hours ended.
#2 If I can't see them, how do I know they're working?
And this actually shows another problem. If you seeing them is a requirement for them to work... then you have a recruiting and staff problem, not a location one, and heads up, you need another paradigm shift. Focus on the work delivered. Manage people, not seats.
#3 Our Data Security is at risk
In the tech industry there is another problem advocated, security. And again, with all the tools we have now with;
• Hard drive encryption with tools like FileVault,
• Multi-factor Authentication (MFA),
• Disabling automatic logins, and
• Having uniquely generated passwords.
That problem is nothing more but an excuse or an irrational fear. And speaking of fear, here comes another excuse.
#4 I'll lose control of my business
But you won't. If anything, you never had control to start with. What you lose is perceived control. If you take a second and look at it, you actually gain more versatility as a business by having a remote team.
• You have the opportunity to hire more qualified people,
• Your business can operate without a dedicated office, and
• This boost in freedom gives you immense control over the direction and results of your company.
#5 I need an answer now
For the last excuse we have, I need an answer now, and this is simply not true in 99% of the cases. Friend of mine has a joke where he says if there's an emergency, call 911, not me. There really is authentic problem that requires immediate attention... and 30 minutes can make the whole difference. And if there is such a possibility, it's a problem of preparation and foresight from management... that hasn't prepared for a single point of failure scenario.
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