In times of increasing digitalization in the workplace, the term teleworking is no longer a foreign one. The problem is that not every employee is happy with the new way of working, and many are struggling with their fate.
The question of the content of the work seems to be quickly resolved. It is more important to deal with the type and manner of work, i.e. the place where it takes place. Today, this no longer has to be an office; it can happen at home, on vacation, in a café, simply anywhere there is functioning Internet reception. And that makes today’s modern employee incredibly flexible. His work comes with him, becomes part of his private life, and at the same time he is available everywhere and absolutely flexible for the boss.
New Work offers new freedoms
And it’s not just the latter who is benefiting from the advantages of the so-called New Work. Many employees appreciate their newfound freedom and do not want to be tied to fixed locations at fixed times, but rather work when it suits them. Teamwork still takes place, of course, just in virtual rooms and less in real conference rooms, and if that’s necessary, then there’s no problem to be found here either. After all, there are still the local offices. That is, if someone feels like handing over part of their newfound freedom at the door.
Find meaning and recognition in teleworking
And with all the great possibilities, they do exist. The ifs and buts. One of the biggest difficulties of this new telecommuting model in recent years is the question of the meaning and recognition of the work performed. Most employees experience this through their colleagues and bosses. But if they don’t get to see them at all, an important factor of extrinsic motivation falls away just like that. One wonders for whom one is actually doing all this and whether it is good enough. Self-doubt sets in, and with it a sense of loneliness without fixed points of reference. A form of social distance sets in, which can sometimes be quite counterproductive for the work process as such.
Culture and organization form key points in the New Work
A second hurdle is that of culture and organization. Work is a form of culture, the organization, that which is inherent in it and without which unholy chaos would break out. That can certainly happen in teleworking, the chaos. Because routines of a normal workday are broken up. It is less about the time at which something has to be done and more about the content that is desired. Work results are in the foreground and are regularly checked as needed. Togetherness is lost in the process, as is the question of the right way to get things done.
The challenge of digital transformation processes in teleworking
When chaos seems in control and social life simply takes place outside of work, there is another challenge for the modern teleworker. He must face up to the digital transformation processes. On the one hand, this means the realization of lifelong learning, i.e. the fact that the digital world is moving fast and technical progress can hardly be stopped. It requires a lot of work with one’s self and the willingness to always learn new things in order to be able to do the job successfully and conscientiously. Furthermore, on the other hand, it is necessary to learn the special rules of this new virtual work reality. The exchange takes place through mails, messenger services or in chat rooms. Presentations have long been anchored in digital programs and, in general, the colleague of the future is more likely to be the notebook or smartphone than a real person.
“Work-life blending” as a challenge
That leaves work-life blending to be examined in greater detail. Since work spills over into leisure time so optimally thanks to advancing digitization and everything can happen almost simultaneously side by side, this is a particular challenge for the individual. Work and leisure are no longer separate, one is for making money, the other is for pure recreation. It mixes, everything becomes one, connected by an opaque line. And that doesn’t make it easy to switch off and simply put the technology down. The temptation and insecurity of missing something important because you are not available for a certain time would be too great. That can cause a lot of stress and frustration.
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