5 Questions that Will Determine if a Remote IT Job is For You
Everyone thinks they want to work from home. But how would that work in the collaborative IT space? More than four million Americans have at least some flexibility to work from home these days. Companies know they don’t have to have a workforce at the office all the time, or at all for that matter, to get great results. But is working remotely right for you? We have some questions to ask yourself before you consider working from home.
Remote Work Q&A—Is WFH right for IT?
Employers, take note; 97% of your workforce wants to go remote or stay remote if they’re already there. That doesn’t necessarily mean that you, as an individual, will benefit from working remotely. If you’re wondering whether working remotely is right for you, ask yourself these questions:
- How is your workspace set up? Developers need great chairs, monitors, and a host of other ergonomic equipment to ensure a comfortable work day free of distractions. Many devs have a space for gaming but that might not be what you want for doing actual work. If you’re still using the kitchen counter, consider your alternatives—which may mean moving to a real office.
- Are you more productive with people? We know collaboration builds better software. We also know developers spend a lot of time in their heads. But if you’re in IT, does all that alone time when working remotely benefit you? If you hate Zoom and find Slack a distraction, you may be better off working with a live team in an office at least part of the time.
- How is troubleshooting handled in your job? Fixing bugs often requires collaboration, and Zoom does allow screen sharing for pair programming or architectural issues. But are you comfortable with troubleshooting remotely? If you work on physical hardware, remote work is less likely a possibility. If you’re in the cloud, no problem.
- Then there is general communication. Are you more likely to ask for help or volunteer an answer if you’re in person? Do you find that virtual conversations make the discussion more stilted and less innovative? Are you proactively communicating or always reacting? What channels are open to you if a problem arises and you need help? In an office, you can stick your head into a cubicle or around the corner to get the help you need. If you’re finding you’d rather just do it yourself or you’re failing to delegate, maybe remote work isn’t so great for you.
- What about your mental health? Being in your head all day we know is kind of the way IT functions. But too much of that in a closed environment in your home can create problems. Too much of a good thing is always a bad thing so if you’re starting to feel like a hermit or if you’re experiencing anxiety when you do leave your home, it’s something to address.
- What about childcare and pet care? Constant interruptions are the fastest way to insanity that we know. Wouldn’t it be nice to periodically go into an office periodically to escape? Maybe. On the flip side, eliminating childcare expenses from your budget is an amazing benefit of remote work. Most remote IT teams often login to do work at odd hours of the day and night, too. So, childcare issues may not be any issue at all.
Considering remote work?
Why not talk to the experienced IT recruiting staff at The Custom Group of Companies. We understand the ins and outs of remote, hybrid, and traditional on-site work and we have dozens of great work environments to choose from. Call on us to find out more.
