How remote work changed IT consulting

Anastasiia Kanarska
By Anastasiia Kanarska,
27th March |
58

In 2023, the post-pandemic remote work is not going away. We can say more – it is very likely to stay for a long time and even strengthen its position across various industries. 

Even though shifting to home offices was a challenge at first, now companies all over the globe – either small or large – prove that remote work can be effective and well-organized. The last one is the task all organizations had to deal with 3 years ago. They had very little time to organize remote work of all their departments and separate employees. No one was ready for that yet we showed flexibility and managed to adjust to those realities. 

It’s fair to say that the IT industry was affected a lot by remote work and, at the same time, it didn’t suffer that much as compared to other sectors. But let’s discuss it in detail now. 

The pros and cons of remote working

First of all, let’s try to find out whether working from home brings real benefits apart from work-life balance and saving up on infrastructure costs. This topic is quite controversial and people still have polar opinions on it. It’s ok because there is no definite answer – it rather depends on the industry, company, position, and even a person’s habits and behavior. Some companies conclude that moving fully online brought some efficiencies and benefits to how they deliver projects. However, one thing is 100% true – a home office has both pros and cons. Check them out!

Pros

  • Better work-life balance. Remote work allows employees to work from anywhere, providing greater flexibility and work-life balance. Having enough rest and free time every day, employees have proven to perform better and focus more on their tasks. This results in higher productivity and efficiency. Flexible hours allow employees to o create a perfect schedule to successfully combine personal life and career. 
  • Enhanced productivity. Remote employees who do not need to wake up super early and spend time getting to the office tend to be more positive and enthusiastic about a working day start. Another factor is fewer distractions as compared to an office where coworkers sometimes show up to discuss some trivial matters. Employers don’t mind their employees having flexible hours and working at different times of the day when they are more productive as long as they complete their tasks on time.
  • Reduced infrastructure costs. Remote work eliminates the need for a daily commute, reducing transportation costs and saving time and money for employees. As for employers, they can spend less on rent, desks, and equipment. According to the source, organizations can save up to $2,000 for every employee shifting online by simply saving on their office space and overall infrastructure.
  • Reduced Carbon Footprint. Remote work reduces the need for employees to commute to work, leading to a reduced carbon footprint and a more sustainable approach to work.
  • Access to a Global Talent Pool. Addressing a report prepared by International Workplace Group, more than 83% of employees name the ability to work remotely as one of the key factors when considering a job offer. 74% of employees would prefer an organization that allows for working from home more often, even if the salary is the same. Remote work allows companies to hire from a global talent pool, enabling them to attract the best talent regardless of location. However, if they want to attract and retain first-class experts, they have to accept flexible working conditions. As an employer, you should face it – in most cases offering remote working is no longer an option but a necessity.

Cons

  • Lack of direct contact and difficulties with collaboration. Many remote workers indicate that the lack of personal contact is one of the biggest problems they face. If a company opts for moving online, it must organize the working process properly and think through every part of it to the slightest detail. In an office, you can easily reach a colleague to discuss what you need in person. When working from home, the available means are messages, phone, or video calls. Poor communication among remote employees hinders effective team collaboration. This brings a kind of challenge to the working process, however, companies all over the globe manage to tackle it. 
  • Dependence on Technology. Remote work relies heavily on technology, and technical issues can cause interruptions and delays.
  • Management challenges. Working from a home office means that every worker has to learn and use various technologies, including apps like to-do lists, project management software, etc. to stay productive. Moreover, it’s necessary to keep yourself organized and motivated and deal with numerous distractions you are likely to have at home. For many, this turns out to be a tough task indeed.
  • Social isolation. We spend most of our day working, and if working remotely, you spend this time alone in front of your computer. Such perks of office routine as small talk, coffee breaks, and having lunch together with colleagues are not available for those who prefer remote. Home office workers are very likely to feel lonely and isolated from the entire world. This often results in frustration, burnout, and lowered efficiency. To cope with this problem, companies provide remote team-building activities to encourage their employees to collaborate and strengthen team spirit.

How IT experts work from home offices

Remote work has had a significant impact on the IT industry, both in terms of how IT companies operate and the types of technologies they develop. The massive growth of remote working culture in the IT sector can be considered the biggest unseen benefit of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Even though there are enough passionate fans of offline work in offices, the remote working culture is on the rise anyway. Many tech industry leaders have been leveraging its benefits by hiring offshore development teams. 

Here take a quick look at some statistical facts. Addressing a survey conducted by CoSo Cloud, we can state the following:

  • Around 23% of remote employees said that they don’t mind working extra hours to get their work completed
  • 52% of remote employees are less likely to quit their job
  • 30% of remote employees managed to accomplish more in less time
  • 77% of the asked employees confirmed better productivity while working from home

According to the 2022 State of Remote Work Report (United States) prepared by Owl Labs, there are minor differences in terms of preferred working style among employees of various ages and gender.

Source: https://owllabs.com/state-of-remote-work/2022
Source: https://owllabs.com/state-of-remote-work/2022

Remote consulting projects become a new normal

Remote consulting services were a kind of forced measure during the pandemic. But as we all learned how to be productive from the comfort of our homes, remote is very likely to stay as a big part of the post-pandemic consulting scene. And the location is not an issue anymore.  This means companies can easily hire the best consultants from any place in the world. Consultants are not limited so they can apply for any given remote freelance consulting role, therefore, boosting competition rates. That is another challenge for remote consultants now. How do they withstand the tough competition and get positions? There are solutions! Well, in fact, we all have no other way out but to look for new ways to get jobs in this digital reality. 

We’ve got a few tips for freelance consultants on how to cope with this situation.

  1. Make use of online consulting platforms which are actively visited by companies looking for outsource consultants. 
  2. Develop your personal brand and position yourself as a true expert in a particular area, e.g. digital transformation for businesses.

Freelance consulting is growing in popularity

Freelance consulting services have become increasingly popular in recent years, as businesses look for specialized expertise without committing to long-term contracts. They are replacing full-time employees with outsource specialists as a cost-saving measure. Simultaneously, a considerable percentage of consultants who have worked as ‘employees’ for big consulting firms now prefer to avoid the ‘up or out’ system and start paving their way independently. Being a freelance consultant comes with the great advantage of setting your own rules and working on your own terms. 

We’ve outlined some key benefits and challenges of opting for freelance consulting services:

Benefits:

  • Flexibility. Freelance consulting services offer more flexibility than traditional in-house consulting services. Clients can work with consultants on a project-by-project basis, which allows them to scale up or down based on their needs.
  • Specialized expertise. Freelance consultants typically have specialized expertise in a specific field or industry. This allows clients to access the exact knowledge and skills they require without having to hire a full-time employee and spend resources on their training.
  • Cost savings. Freelance consulting services can be less expensive as compared to traditional consulting services. A client doesn’t pay for overhead costs like office space and other benefits.

Challenges:

  • Finding the expert that completely meets your needs. Finding the right freelance consultant can be challenging, as there are many freelancers to choose from. Clients need to carefully evaluate the consultant’s skills in the required area, experience, and qualifications to ensure they are a good fit.
  • Communication. Effective communication is critical to the success of freelance consulting services. Clients need to ensure that they are communicating their objectives and expectations clearly and that the consultant is communicating their progress and any issues that arise.
  • Time management. Freelance consulting services require effective time management, as the consultant is typically working on multiple projects at the same time. Clients need to ensure that they are aware of the consultant’s availability and that they are working within their deadlines.

Outsource IT consulting services to scale up effectiveness

Remote work has significantly boosted outsourcing because it has made it easier for companies to hire talents from anywhere in the world without requiring them to be physically present in the same location. With remote work, companies can tap into a global pool of talented workers and choose the best fit for their needs.

Remote work has also made it easier for companies to outsource specific tasks or projects to specialized service providers, such as web designers, programmers, and virtual assistants. This way, companies can focus on their core competencies and leave non-core functions to those who are well-versed in the specific type of activity.

Moreover, remote work has made it possible for companies to reduce their operational costs by outsourcing work to countries with lower labor costs. This has been a significant driver of outsourcing for many years, and with remote work, companies can take advantage of it even more.

All the transformations that have turned our life upside down recently, make companies way more flexible and responsive to changes in the market, which is essential in today’s fast-paced business environment. Remote work has made outsourcing more accessible, efficient, and cost-effective for companies of all sizes, and it is likely to be a serious driver for outsourcing trends in the future. 

Remote IT consulting – yes or no?

Turning to IT consultants is a win-win solution for your business. Qualified and experienced tech experts will assist you in upgrading the performance, scalability, and competitiveness of your company through the right technology enablement and usage. Hiring IT consultants gives you access to cutting-edge technologies, extensive experience, and in-depth expertise in the required niche, smart ideas, and effective solutions. 

Hiring remote professionals hardly make a big difference. Remote IT consulting is a viable option for businesses looking to receive expert advice and guidance on their IT infrastructure, security, and digital transformation strategies. Remote IT consulting brings top-notch IT expertise without the need for face-to-face meetings. 

Remote IT consultants can provide a wide range of services, including IT strategy development, digital transformation, infrastructure assessment and design, cybersecurity analysis and implementation, software and system selection, IT operations consulting, application implementation, modernization, and support, and IT project and program management. These services can be seamlessly delivered via video conferencing, email, or other remote communication tools.

So going back to the question – remote IT consulting is yes, definitely. However, when hiring a tech consultant, it takes not only to carefully evaluate the credentials and experience but also to establish clear communication channels and set expectations for deliverables along with timelines to ensure that the consulting engagement is successful.