Why is remote work so common in software development projects?

Although remote work is becoming increasingly popular every year, it still has its opponents. Some are concerned about a loss of work efficiency, communication deficiencies or negative impact on other factors that may play a part in the project’s success. Meanwhile, remote work has many advantages. At Codest, we have been enabling this option for our developers for several years now and I can assure you that this solution works great not only in theory. We were once curious whether remote cooperation with developers is actually worth the effort. After several years of experience, I can say with conviction – it is!

What are the benefits of remote work?

When employing high-class developers, you pay attention to their work comfort and satisfaction. I have repeatedly emphasized the fact that the competition for real professionals on the labor market is fierce, so, whether you run a software house or manage your in-house developers team, you must stand out in the eyes of the programmers and… meet their expectations. Some time ago, we conducted an internal benefit survey at Codest. It turned out that the opportunity to work remotely was in the top three benefits our developers appreciated the most.

Remote work is undoubtedly comfortable. The programmers can work wherever and whenever they want. There are no worries about efficiency – some prefer to work at home or in a cozy cafe because they value peace and their own space. Others, in turn, choose to work at the office and do not mind the daily commute. It all depends on the attitude of the employee who should be given a choice in this matter.

One of the most common misconceptions about remote work is the fear of ineffective communication. In fact, this is not a problem impossible to solve. At Codest, we have been informing our developers about our communication principles since the beginning of cooperation. We use tools such as Slack, Jira, Harvest, as well as frequently arrange calls or one-to-one meetings with managers. That allows us to efficiently manage the entire communication process.

Of course, it’s good for a developer who works for you remotely to get to know the company and other colleagues at the very beginning. It is enough to work for several days at the office to satisfy this requirement. After completing onboarding, such a programmer is ready to start remote cooperation. In a calmer environment, he will learn the rules established by the company, the culture of the organization, e-meet other people and identify with the company’s motto.

Remote work, in my opinion, has another unobvious advantage. It helps to develop high standards of long-distance cooperation, which positively translates into subsequent cooperation with an external customer. I noticed that many companies looking for a software house have objections about developing their product with a company located hundreds of kilometers away. Meanwhile, if they start the cooperation with developers for whom joint remote work is a daily practice, they can be 100% certain that the communication process will not be a problem. Developers get used to such a system of cooperation and very quickly adapt it to every new project.

Is remote work for everyone?

I do not think so. It depends on each employee’s character and approach. Some need regular contact with other people and do not like the loneliness of remote work. In this case, they see it as only optional. It may not be a good solution for people who have problems with self-planning and organizing their time.

In any other case, remote work can be an advantage. This type of collaboration can be additionally helpful when you are developing and scaling your organization. According to talentlms.com, up to 66% of employers worldwide allow their employees to work remotely. It does not hinder the development of their companies and effective implementation of projects.

2020 has just begun. Remote work is one of the current trends in the IT industry and, without any doubt, it will continue to grow. Therefore, if you have had any concerns about this type of cooperation with your developers, abandon those thoughts and give it a go!

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