Are all remote workers sitting in their pajamas and taking bubble baths?
Who hasn’t heard the classic refrain when they tell their co-workers that they are taking a remote position- “Oh, are you just going to lie around in your pajamas all day?” I think we all have a stereotyped image that someone who remotes into work is likely not doing much and living some kind of quasi-retired life.
But that couldn’t be further from the truth. Let’s look at three myths of the remote worker and balance it with the truth.
1. Remote Workers Work In Their Pajamas
While it may be true that some remote workers roll out of bed and start working without doing the basics of human hygiene- it is more likely than not that the remote worker next door to you has a morning routine which include showering and getting dressed. In fact, many have a “uniform” that they put on every day just like going into the office. Most remote workers find just rolling over and starting to work to be counterproductive, unmotivating, and maybe even a little disgusting.
2. Remote Workers Are Not As Productive As Office Workers
Time and again this myth has been busted.
In 2022, Great Places to Work had a two year study looking at over 800,000 employees. They found stable or improved productivity when workers switched to working remote. And this is just one study.
3. Remote Workers Are Destined To Become Lonely, Weird Hermits
This old, tired cliché does have a ring of truth to it. Without daily human interaction, we humans can become weird. But a thriving culture in the remote workplace toward engagement, as well as being mindful of curating a social life outside of the home office can keep this one a myth.
In order to fight this, I came up with ways to fight social isolation while working remotely. Being aware of this risk is half the battle and having a plan to how to combat it and engaging it will mitigate this risk entirely.
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