Remote work has become an increasingly popular choice in modern enterprises. With the outbreak of COVID-19 and the implementation of various isolation policies, remote work is no longer a fresh topic exclusive to the Silicon Valley tech industry. In this article, we will explore the trends, advantages, and disadvantages of remote work to help iGaming employers understand the pros and cons of this type of work.

Trends

Remote work has gradually become a trend in recent years. With the advancement of technology, development of communication technology, and improvement of network speed, remote work is becoming easier and more popular. Here are some analyses of the trend of remote work:

• Work flexibility: Remote work provides employees with greater work flexibility and autonomy, allowing them to choose their own work time and location and better balance work and life. Therefore, it is becoming increasingly popular in the modern workplace.
• Cost reduction: Remote work can also reduce costs for companies, such as reducing rent and equipment maintenance costs. Therefore, many companies have started to implement remote work to save costs.
• Technological advancement: With the continuous advancement of communication technology and the improvement of network speed, remote work is becoming easier to implement. There are now many online collaboration tools and web conferencing tools that enable employees to collaborate and communicate anytime, anywhere.
• Environmental sustainability: Remote work also fits the concept of sustainable development in modern society. Reducing employee commuting time and transportation use can reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption, making it more environmentally friendly.

Advantages

Flexible working hours

Remote work allows employees to schedule their work time more flexibly. This
means they can complete work at the most efficient time for them, rather than being forced to work during fixed hours. This also makes it easier for employees to find a balance between work and life.

Time and cost savings

Remote work can save time and money for employees and companies. Employees do not need to spend time and money commuting every day, and companies can reduce office space and related costs if employees do not need to come to the office every day. Also, the need for office equipment such as desks, chairs, and computers is reduced. Especially for overseas gaming companies, remote work can save costs such as gaming licenses, visas, and accommodation.

More freedom and independence

Remote work can give employees more freedom and independence. They can work in a familiar and comfortable environment without being disturbed by others. This can also allow employees to better unleash their creativity and concentration.

Broader talent pool

Remote work can enable companies to have access to a wider range of talents, as employees do not have to reside in the company's location. Companies can recruit the best talents from around the world, increasing their competitiveness and innovation. Especially for the gaming industry, this advantage is even more obvious, as the gaming industry is a global industry that requires talents with multiple languages and diverse cultures. Remote work can make it easier for gaming companies to find such talents, making gaming companies more competitive.

Disadvantages

Loneliness and lack of team collaboration

Remote work may make employees feel lonely and lack the tacit understanding and work atmosphere cultivated by team collaboration. Employees may miss the opportunity to communicate and collaborate with colleagues face-to-face, which may affect their job satisfaction and efficiency.

Technical and equipment requirements

Remote work requires employees to have the corresponding technology and equipment, such as high-speed internet, computers, and video conferencing software. If employees lack this equipment and skills, this type of work may cause inconvenience for them.

Challenges in management and supervision

Remote work may bring some challenges to management and assessment. Managers need to ensure that employees complete their work on time and maintain high efficiency, which may require different management and assessment methods.

Which types of employees or positions are suitable for remote work?

Remote work is not suitable for everyone. Here are some characteristics of employees and positions that are suitable for remote work:

Employee types

Strong self-management ability: Remote work requires employees to have certain self-management abilities, including self-motivation, time management, and organizational skills.

Strong independence: Remote work requires employees to be able to work
independently, think independently, and solve problems independently without relying on others' help and support.

Effective communication skills: Although remote work is based on the network, effective communication and collaboration skills are still very important. Employees need to have good oral and written communication skills and be able to express their opinions and ideas clearly.

Strong ability to withstand pressure: Remote work may face problems such as loneliness and lack of social interaction, which requires employees to have certain pressure resistance and psychological qualities. 

Position Characteristics

Programmer: Programmers spend most of their time in front of computers, requiring high concentration and independent work ability. Therefore, remote work is also suitable for this type of work environment, which allows them to manage their own time, focus on work, and independently complete tasks according to the established schedule.

Designer: Designers need to complete design tasks independently and need to communicate and collaborate with clients. In a remote work environment, they can also communicate and collaborate with clients through video conferences and online tools, allowing them to work in a closed environment without interruptions which is more suitable for creative jobs.

Network marketer: Network marketers need to work on computers frequently, such as publishing ads, managing social media, and SEO/SEM. In a remote work environment, they can better focus on analysis work without being affected by the environment, which can improve work efficiency and performance.

Translator: Translators need to focus on translation work and need to conduct relevant research and preparation. In a remote work environment, they can arrange their work time and work location more flexibly, which can improve work efficiency and quality.

Writer: Writers include journalists, writers, and editors, who need to complete writing work independently and need to conduct relevant research and preparation. In a remote work environment, they can work without being affected by location, focusing more on thinking and writing, thus improving work efficiency and quality.

Financial staff: Financial staff, such as accountants and tax experts, can provide financial management and tax consulting services through remote access and cloud accounting.

Human resources specialists: Human resources specialists can complete their work through the internet and phone without physical contact in the office. However, human resources specialists need to have good communication, coordination, and management skills and need to have a certain understanding and mastery of employee work status and performance. Therefore, appropriate personnel assessment and communication methods need to be formulated to ensure effective management of employees in a remote work situation.

Online customer service representatives: Provide support and solve problems for customers through phone, email, and instant messaging software, without being limited by location. In addition, remote work can provide customers with longer service hours because employees can work in different time zones. Overall, online customer service representatives remotely working can improve work efficiency and flexibility while saving costs and increasing job satisfaction.

Assessment and Management

Remote work requires special attention to management and assessment. Here are some suggestions:

Establish Goals and Expectations

Before starting remote work, goals and expectations should be established so that employees know the KPIs and work standards they need to achieve. This can help employees better understand their responsibilities and make it easier for managers to evaluate their performance.

Maintain Regular Communication with Employees

Regular communication with employees is very important to ensure that employees stay connected with the company and team. This can be achieved through video conferencing, email, and instant messaging tools. Managers should ensure that employees know when they need to submit reports and how to do so.

Use assessment tools

Managers can use assessment tools to evaluate employee performance, such as progress charts, work logs, and reports. These tools can help managers better understand employees' work progress and help employees better understand their work performance.

Motivate employees

Managers should give employees incentives such as rewards and recognition. This can make employees feel that their work is valued and can make them more committed to their work.

Establish a Good Work Culture

A good work culture can make employees more committed to their work and help them stay connected with the company and team. This can be achieved through regular networking events, social gatherings, and online communication.

Conclusion

Remote work has many advantages, one of which is to improve work flexibility and make it easier for employees to achieve work-life balance. This can not only provide employees with higher work flexibility and quality of life but also reduce commuting time and costs, have a wider range of talent choices, and bring cost savings and efficiency improvements to the company, as well as contribute to environmental protection.

However, remote work requires higher self-discipline and self-management skills from employees, so it is suitable for employees who have the characteristics of self-management, independent work, and effective communication. In terms of assessment and management, companies should establish goals and expectations, maintain regular communication with employees, use assessment tools, give employees incentives, and establish a good work culture.

In the gambling industry, the obvious advantage of remote work is that it is easier to find talent with multiple languages and multicultural backgrounds, thereby improving the competitiveness and innovation of the company. Through remote work, gaming companies can improve employee work efficiency and job satisfaction while significantly saving on employee visas, accommodation, and office rental costs.

At the same time, the long-standing problem of talent recruitment in the gaming industry has also been solved, thereby allowing gaming companies to have better development and competitive advantages. However, it is also necessary to fully understand its advantages and disadvantages in order to better achieve the company's work goals and employee work-life balance.