The coronavirus had a very big impact on the world and people’s ability to comfortably share both social and work spaces. This limitation meant for quite some time we all said goodbye to parties, all sorts of social and even religious gatherings. Work spaces weren’t exempted and this meant most office spaces had to shut down with only the people who fell under the “Essential Workers” category being allowed to work. And even then, the population had to be under serious control and most offices that weren’t accustomed to the shift system had to find a way to make it work.
Remote work refers to any job that employees can successfully do out of the office space. The setups can be very different with some expecting a stable internet connection and you working in real time, other may require you to complete a task within a flexible time period and submit before a deadline. Either ways, it involves you sitting either at your home, personal workspace or even a café.
Remote employees are typically geographically removed from the company’s location, and they communicate with colleagues and upper management through alternate communication channels. However, they can also be freelancers or independent contractors who operate as sole entities.
Remote work offers a variety of excellent benefits for the employee. The first is the ability to work from anywhere. With the prerequisites of every employer being different, as long as these criteria’s can be met at your location, you then have the luxury to work from anywhere in the world.
Remote work also allows for a flexible schedule. Different companies have different policies concerning daily work hours and depending on your employer, your work schedule can be tailored to be more convenient for you. Platforms like “Cambly” allow employees to work from anywhere with the world with the ability to work at any time that suits you.
Promotion of a global workforce is also one of the biggest advantages of remote work. A globally distributed workforce improves the odds of hiring the best fit onboard and helps expand the business to different regions of the world.
Remote work has several other benefits such as enhanced productivity, savings on cost of transportation, saving cost of renting office space, meals and clothing, building ones written and verbal communication skills, reduction of stress levels and distancing one from office politics amongst others.
Remote work in Africa wasn’t a concept that was overly popular amongst many employers. With a very traditional, clock in clock out, 9-5 culture here, it’s safe to say remote work for most people remained a concept that could be considered but never effected, not until the Covid 19 pandemic at least.
Remote work in Africa comes with some complexities. Some of these challenges include power problems, internet connectivity, distractions due to limited space, financial difficulties and societal problems. Electricity isn’t constant in most parts of Africa and it is safe to say that is one of the biggest hindrances to remote work in this side of the world. With most work being done over desktops or laptops; power outages will significantly disrupt the flow of work and interrupt one’s ability to complete their daily objectives.
In large parts of Africa internet connectivity still remains a huge issue. A lack of progress in network coverage, extending access and low bandwidth plague most parts of the continent till date. Affordability is also an issue and has managed to only decline in recent years. Conducive working environments are also a big issue. The majority of workers might not have a space good enough to dedicate to work and this only means one can and will easily be distracted.
The Social construct also plays a huge role in discouraging people from taking remote jobs. Most individuals believe for one to be employed it meant he had an office to go to. The concept of working from home and not being an entrepreneur is one most people on this side of the world nave not fully grasped and if not for the pandemic would not have gained any momentum.
Although this part of the article might have started with the negatives of remote work in Africa, at this point it is safe to say its popularity has grown rapidly and most individuals recognize it as a gainful employment. Many organizations since the pandemic have developed new and innovative ways to make remote work operate seamlessly and effectively for their organizations. These coupled with the efforts of both public and private partners to ensure the basic amenities are effectively provided means Remote work and mandatory by product of the pandemic is here to stay.