We’ve been writing and publishing Buffer’s State of Distant Work report for six years now, and we’ve realized quite a bit concerning the traits, advantages, and struggles of distant employees alongside the way in which. This 12 months, after releasing the report, we had a number of individuals remark that they questioned what the outcomes can be like for less than people who find themselves managers — and it’s a very good query!
We weren’t clear sufficient when publishing the report that the State of Distant Work already consists of individuals managers and distant work leaders. Nonetheless, it felt like a chance to dive deeper into the information to drag out extra information particular to leaders.
Whereas we didn’t ask if somebody was a individuals supervisor after they accomplished the State of Distant Work survey (don’t fear, it’s already on the listing for subsequent 12 months), we did ask concerning the sort of function that somebody has, and one choice was “management.” So, right here’s what we realized trying on the outcomes from the State of Distant Work and evaluating those that work in management to those that don’t — the solutions would possibly shock you.
Leaders nonetheless overwhelmingly need to work remotely
To start out, leaders nonetheless need to work remotely for the remainder of their careers (99 p.c chosen this selection) and would advocate distant work to others (one other 99 p.c chosen this selection). That is solely barely greater than non-leaders, who had been at 98 p.c for each questions. In the end, no massive distinction between leaders and non-leaders right here.
We additionally requested respondents to explain their expertise with distant work — and curiously, leaders had been extra prone to choose that they’d a constructive expertise. Ninety-six p.c of leaders chosen that their expertise was very constructive or considerably constructive in comparison with 90 p.c of non-leaders.
The distinction between how leaders and non-leaders expertise distant work is not drastic, although leaders usually tend to have a constructive expertise than non-leaders.
Leaders do work in another way
In terms of how distant leaders work, there are some variations between non-leaders and leaders who work remotely of their preferences for working in a hybrid setup, their work location, and being on digital camera.
The largest distinction is that whereas leaders nonetheless primarily favor working absolutely remotely (65 p.c chosen absolutely distant as their most well-liked work construction), there’s a larger quantity who would favor a hybrid however distant first arrange, with 27 p.c of leaders deciding on that choice in comparison with 20 p.c of non-leaders.
Leaders are additionally extra prone to have expertise with the hybrid setup. Forty-two p.c of leaders labored in a hybrid setup in comparison with 35 p.c of non-leaders.
Equally, leaders had been much less prone to work at home than non-leaders, although the bulk nonetheless did; 75 p.c of leaders chosen they labored from house in comparison with 83 p.c of non-leaders.
The ultimate query we checked out was about being on digital camera — 76 p.c of leaders favor to have their digital camera on for video calls in comparison with 62 p.c of non-leaders.
General, the responses from leaders had been pretty just like non-leaders right here, however with sufficient variation that it’s clear there’s a distinction between how these two teams get work executed.
The struggles of distant leaders
Regardless of the numerous advantages of distant work, leaders nonetheless face the identical struggles as non-leaders, with just a few variations.
The dearth of construction and routine that comes with distant work generally is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it permits for larger flexibility and autonomy. However, it may be simple to turn out to be remoted. This can be a wrestle that many distant employees share, and leaders are not any exception. The highest wrestle for distant employees was the identical for each leaders and non-leaders — staying house too actually because they don’t have a cause to go away.
One other problem that distant leaders face is the temptation to work exterior of conventional workplace hours. With out the constraints of a bodily workplace, it may be simple to let work bleed into different components of life, which may result in burnout and an absence of work-life stability. Leaders, specifically, usually tend to fall into this entice than non-leaders.
The ultimate wrestle that many leaders face is creating boundaries between work and life. In comparison with non-leaders, leaders usually tend to discover it troublesome to separate the 2, with 40 p.c of leaders scuffling with this in comparison with 30 p.c of non-leaders.
Although the highest wrestle stays the identical, leaders general usually tend to discover it difficult to disconnect from work and to work exterior of standard hours.
Leaders are extra impartial on careers and distant work
Over the previous couple of years, the subject of profession progress for distant employees has surfaced many instances, with some questioning if the transfer to distant work may negatively affect their profession trajectory. The subject of distant profession progress remains to be considerably cut up. In our 2023 State of Distant Work report, respondents had been more likely to pick that profession progress was simpler whereas working remotely than the prior 12 months, with 36 p.c of respondents deciding on that choice. One other 36 p.c mentioned distant work had no affect on their profession progress.
Leaders fall into the class of being extra impartial concerning the affect of distant work on profession progress. Forty-two p.c of leaders imagine that distant work has no affect on profession progress in comparison with 36 p.c of non-leaders. Leaders are additionally extra prone to say that distant work has no affect on promotions (58 p.c chosen this) in comparison with non-leaders (56 p.c).
On the similar time, distant work as a requirement for future roles is much less necessary to leaders than to non-leaders, which is in step with leaders being extra possible to decide on hybrid choices. General, leaders have a extra nuanced stance towards distant work with regards to profession progress and the significance of distant work for his or her subsequent function.
What’s going nicely for distant leaders
The panorama of distant work is totally different for leaders with regards to what goes nicely for them, too. Leaders are barely extra prone to be considerably or very engaged with their job — 65 p.c of them chosen this selection in comparison with 58 p.c of non-leaders. Leaders are additionally much less prone to be on the lookout for a brand new job.
Associated to feeling engaged of their roles, leaders additionally really feel barely extra linked to their colleagues (80 p.c in comparison with 75 p.c of non-leaders). A part of that might be that leaders are additionally extra prone to have attended in-person work occasions previously 12 months. Seventy-seven p.c of leaders chosen they’d met up in individual for work in comparison with 69 p.c of non-leaders.
General, not all leaders need individuals again within the workplace, though leaders usually tend to need a hybrid setup.
Leaders have some very particular distant work struggles round boundaries. On the similar time, they must be conscious that due to their place, they could really feel extra linked than their direct stories or non-leader colleagues.
We’d love to listen to from you for those who’re a individuals supervisor and you’re employed remotely — does this resonate? Ship us a tweet!
