$2$ Remote Work

Analyze the ethical challenges related to remote work.

In order to ethically support remote workers, what is one potential action an employer can take?

a$.)$

Encourage quiet quitting by remote employees

b$.)$

Ensure that all employees work on$-$site at least twice per week

c$.)$

Ensure that "face time" at the office with the boss occurs once per week

d$.)$

Ensure the same opportunities for advancement for remote workers

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Remote Work

Sophia

Sophia

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WHAT'S COVERED

In this lesson, you will learn about the movement to remote work and the unique ethical challenges it presents to employers and employees. Specifically, this lesson will cover:

$1.$ Advantages of Remote Work

$2.$ Drawbacks of Remote Work

$3.$ Ethical Challenges of Remote Work

Terms to Know

$1.$ Advantages of Remote Work

Technology has accelerated the globalization of business.Technology has accelerated the globalization of business.

The term $$telecommuting$($or $$telework$)$ emerged in the $1970$s to describe the practice of working at a specific location, whether the employee$$s home or an alternate office, to reduce commuting time to a centrally located office. Telework was greatly facilitated by new telecommunications technology, including the internet, e$-$mail, and mobile phones. By the $2010$s$,$ the term $$remote work$$ had replaced it$,$ as the concept of working outside the office became more about virtual teams using newer technologies for conferencing and collaboration instead of email and occasional phone calls. The key technologies to making remote work more accessible are listed in the table below.

Technology Description Examples

Web Conferencing Real$-$time audio$-$video meetings, often enhanced with a text chat, white board, screen sharing, and other features. Google Meet

Microsoft Teams

WebEx

Zoom

Cloud Applications Software that stores documents and other tools on remote servers so people can access them from any device with web access for real$-$time collaboration. Google Docs $($standard office applications like word processing, spreadsheets, and slide decks$)$

Microsoft Office $365($standard office applications$)$

Salesforce $($data$-$based applications for sales, marketing, data analysis, etc.$)$

Adobe Creative Suite $($graphic arts applications$)$

Instant Messaging Text$-$based chats, some with opportunities to share graphics, files, and other content; some use hashtags to help connect people in ad$-$hoc groups. Discord

Google Chat

Microsoft Teams

Slack

Remote Access The ability to access a work$-$based computer remotely $($using another computer$),$ used in more secure work environments. Native feature of Apple, Microsoft and Google Chrome devices.

Remote work was accelerated by the $2020$ pandemic, when most office workers started working remotely during isolation, and has been further accelerated by the gig economy, an increase of temporary and part$-$time contract work instead of full$-$time permanent employment. As of $2023,$ approximately one worker in three works remotely at least some of the time.

Employers allow employees to work remotely for a variety of reasons. First, it is a powerful recruiting tool for people who want to balance their work and personal lives. It allows employees to work a more flexible schedule to care for children or older relatives while maintaining a career and earning income. It helps recruitment because every job search can be national or even global. Individuals with ability challenges such as mobility issues also prefer the flexibility that remote work affords them.

Remote work also reduces or eliminates the hours that employees spend traveling to and from the job and can help keep cars off the road. Fewer workers commuting equal less crowding on public transportation. Fewer cars mean less air pollution as well. The average U$.$S$.$ employee $($who commutes $30$ miles and $60$ minutes per day$)$ will save more than $$1,000$ on gas per year by not commuting $($along with associated costs of parking and vehicle upkeep and insurance$).$ Remote workers can continue to do their jobs despite weather conditions that impede travel. They are not exposed to sick coworkers$$ germs and may take fewer sick days. Remote employees are also seldom late for work when their workday starts at home.

There is a good deal of evidence suggesting that remote work has beneficial effects on worker productivity. Studies by individual companies like American Express as well as independent researchers like the Harvard Business Review have consistently found that remote workers are more productive, countering any suspicions that most workers take advantage of remote work to play games or watch television. While some might, overall remote work facilitates increased efficiency and productivity and also typically results in higher retention of workers, thereby reducing recruiting and training costs for firms.

Studies have shown that a person who commutes for a