Do you work remotely? Don’t wait for a raise

This news was heard loudly in many Polish companies. It is also widely commented on social media. People who work remotely do not hide their embarrassment at the announcement of the head of the tech giant Bloomberg Arvind Krishna.

Want to get promoted? come to work

In his opinion, remote work is good only for certain professions. The IBM president indicated that anyone thinking of a promotion should return to office work. In his opinion, people who do their work in one place work better. The same opinion is shared by many Polish entrepreneurs.

In behind-the-scenes conversations, they say directly: The head of IBM was right. - I think so too. I won’t promote someone I don’t see in the company says the director of a financial company in Warsaw. - Sometimes some things are discussed in the kitchen, in the hallway, or even over a cigarette. In formal meetings held in Teams, it’s impossible to say everything. it’s a completely different conversation adds another.

Promotion is a matter of trust in an employee

This attitude does not surprise Cesar Kazmierchak, president of the Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers. - How can you promote someone who doesn’t work for the company? This is primarily a matter of trust in the employee and mutual business relations. Nothing replaces good personal relationships between employees like working together in the office. he adds.

Economist Marek Zuber, a big proponent of remote work, says the same thing. - From the very beginning, I knew that its implementation would not be so simple. Already during the pandemic, we heard voices when one of the leaders of a large IT company said that employees should quickly return to the office, because at home they are deceiving employers. In addition to the truth of this thesis, it shows that not all bosses will agree to remote work. And even if they formally do it, mentally they will still be in the old system. says the expert.

You can take advantage of remote work through promotion

In his opinion, there is no simple answer. - First, the type of work you are doing. The second type of personality. There are employees who are devoted to remote work, for example, introverts, and there are those who do not like it. The same is true for employers. Hybrid work is optimal for me says the economist.

- Of course, there will be situations when the use of remote work will hinder progress. If only because of limited direct communication, that is, simply less direct contact with superiors. It shouldn’t be a key decision. Achievements and competencies should be taken into account, but we know how this happens in practice. Direct contact makes it easier, for example, to gain trust adds Marek Zuber.

More and more companies are ditching remote work

According to Cesary Kazmierczak, although the work model has changed a few years ago, more and more companies are refusing to work remotely. Some entrepreneurs officially inform employees that from next month everyone will return to their offices. In some companies, small equivalents are awarded for working from home to “encourage” employees to work from home in this unusual way.

Another way is to increase the number of days for working from the office. Thus, the employee works three days in the office, two days from home. Unfortunately, it is increasingly happening that employers do not want to hire people who have declared a form of remote work. In March and April, a large trading company recruited employees. From the top ten candidates, the director selected only those who decided to work in the office.

- I want to see my team at work. I want to see how new employees get used to it, how they get into various, including difficult, situations. I don’t mind working remotely. However, for me, such people working from home are cut off from the daily life of the company. These are virtual employees that are available by email or phone. It’s a bit like talking to a stranger says a company representative.

Remote work and promotion opportunities

Not all companies share the opinion of the head of IBM. Tech companies see no problem. - Remote work in the IT field is not a trend set by the pandemic, on the contrary, we were ready for it much earlier. This model requires considerable commitment and precision from both specialists and managers, as well as the cost of appropriate tools on the part of the organization. - says Agata Kryn from Billennium in an interview with Wprost.pl.

In her opinion, employees working remotely should not have limited opportunities for promotion or promotion. - We have implemented innovative changes in our company that allow us, as leaders, to effectively control the work of our teams, no matter where they work. he adds.

The company has found a way to communicate with employees on a regular basis.

The company’s strategy is based on frequent interaction with employees, regardless of their location. Meetings with teams and leaders are held regularly via video link. - We complement this with detailed activity reports that are available to our executives on a daily basis. In addition, we place particular emphasis on regular face-to-face meetings with employees, usually on a quarterly basis. Crean says.

The company ensures that through these solutions it can constantly monitor the progress and activities of its employees. - We have a clear understanding of the effects of their work, and we can analyze them on an ongoing basis, designing their future careers. - summarizes the representative of Billennium.