Despite all of its advantages, all-remote work isn't for everyone. It can have disadvantages for potential employees depending on their lifestyle and work preferences, as well as the organization. In the spirit of transparency, we'll also highlight counterpoints and solutions to these challenges.

For employees

1. Onboarding can be difficult when you're remote, because it involves more self-learning and you're not physically with your new coworkers and fellow new hires.
2. The first month in a remote role can feel lonely, especially if you're transitioning from a traditional office setting.
• Scheduling coffee chats, social calls, and incentivizing in-person visits between team members are several of the ways in which Notifire accomplishes this.
3. Remote settings can cause a breakdown in communication skills if organizations aren't deliberate about creating ways for their people to stay connected.
• All-remote companies should default to asynchronous communication to combat feelings of being left out of important discussions.
4. Some may find it difficult to work in the same setting as they live and sleep, because a dedicated workspace helps to switch the context from their home life to work.
• We should not assume that team members will work from their home 100% of the time. Notifire reimbursing coworking space usage and creating an atmosphere where team members are encouraged to construct a workspace that is ideal for their comfort and productivity.
5. Team members in different time zones may have to compromise on meeting times.
• All-remote companies should consider meetings as a last resort, instead relying on asynchronous collaboration tools like Google Docs, Notion and GitHub Issues to facilitate meaningful dialog without time zone concerns.
• To prevent pent-up frustration over working odd hours to facilitate a global call, all-remote companies should consider treating each team member as a manager of one. This goes beyond the basic definition of flexibility by empowering team members to structure each day according to the needs at hand. For example, spending more time with family earlier in the day to compensate for a late-night work call.
6. It can be hard to separate your personal and work life. It's important to encourage boundaries and make sure you don't continue to work during your family time.
• All-remote companies should consider implementing a Results value, where results (as opposed to hours) are measured. Fundamentally, this requires organizational trust — believing that colleagues will do the right thing rather than implementing rigid rules.
• At Notifire, we encourage team members to communicate with their manager when they recognize burnout, and to be mindful of the last time a team member took time off from work.
7. Remote work requires you to manage your own time and be self-motivated, disciplined, and organized.
• All-remote companies tend to attract those who place a high degree of value on autonomy.
• Screening employees for these attributes is fairly easy during the interview process. Even if a prospective team member has yet to work in a remote setting, asking for examples of their mindset and performance while working from home, an event, or while traveling can provide valuable insight.
• While each team member is different, you can get a glimpse of what it's like to operate in an all-remote setting through this blog post, entitled A day in the life of the "average" remote worker.