[COVID-19 Transformation] Remote Work Requires a Major Shift in Evaluation Beyond Location Changes

Work Guidelines and Communication Need to Change

[Asia Economy Reporter Yuri Kim] "For remote work to be successfully established, it should not simply mean changing the workplace from the office to home. There must be an experience where the work methods and the criteria for evaluating them are completely transformed."

Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), many companies in Korea have recognized the potential of remote work (telecommuting). The challenge in the post-COVID era is to successfully establish remote work by learning from past trial and error. Only then can individuals protect their health and continue working without interruption even during infectious disease pandemics like COVID-19. It also holds significance in terms of diversifying work methods to reduce costs and improve efficiency.

Experts emphasize that a 'major transformation' is needed both in the process (work methods) and the results (performance indicators). They say that as important as technological advancement for establishing remote work is a 'change in perception.' It is not important to check the time spent sitting at the workplace, but to first get accustomed to being evaluated based on work outcomes. For this, it is important to communicate 'the work I have done' and be 'evaluated based on the work done.' Professor Sung Tae-yoon of Yonsei University’s Department of Economics stated, "Since not all work types can be standardized, it is highly likely that work evaluation methods will become more segmented and systematized."

A hint can be found in the scrum method, which is common in Silicon Valley, USA. Each person briefly shares what they are currently working on and what they will do next, and updates on progress are shared the following day. Through this, there is trust in each person’s work intensity without having to visually confirm late-night overtime.

Measures to enhance the efficiency of individual employees working remotely should also be considered. When working remotely, emotional consumption due to face-to-face interactions may be replaced by emotional consumption caused by non-face-to-face communication. It is difficult to grasp the context that can be understood in face-to-face situations just by reading emails or messenger texts. Teams where collaboration is important may also experience significant fatigue from non-face-to-face communication.

To enhance efficiency, a 'remote work guide' is necessary. GitLab, a US IT company, provides detailed work manuals to facilitate smooth remote work for over 1,200 employees scattered across 65 countries worldwide. The manual includes instructions to designate a 'personal workspace' regardless of where one works. This is a method to increase concentration and improve work efficiency. Experts say it is important to separate workspaces and private spaces at home and to set and adhere to work hours and break times independently.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.