Distance learning: Can it prepare you for the workplace of the future?

Distance learning qualifications may prepare students for the workplaces of the future.

Remote working is where employees spend some or all their hours working from home instead of from the office. It is becoming increasingly popular in South Africa and around the world, as it can eliminate distractions, boost employee productivity, reduce stress and improve emotional well-being.

According to the 2018 Future Workplace Report from freelancing platform Upwork, a staggering 63% of 1 000 surveyed companies in the United States already hire full-time employees who work from outside the office. Remote work is expected to become the new normal; 38% of hiring managers predict that most of their employees will work predominantly remotely within the next 10 years.

According to Sanet Nel, Marketing Manager at distance learning college Oxbridge Academy, this move towards enhanced worker flexibility and self-motivation should give encouragement to students who study qualifications via distance learning.

"In many ways, distance learning mirrors the situations that future workers, especially in fields such as IT, advertising and marketing, and public relations, will face," says Nel.

"Distance learning requires learners to stay motivated and self-disciplined, as they study from home, at their own pace. Similarly, remote workers are required to have great time management skills and be able to stick to deadlines. By studying via distance learning, students get the opportunity and skills to become comfortable with the concept of working remotely."

Although not all job roles are suited to remote working, certain industries are moving in this direction. Most marketing functions, for instance, can be performed online. Technologies such as Skype and e-mail are used very successfully for communication between managers and employees. When managed effectively, collaboration and employee engagement are unaffected by teams not being physically present in the office, and that productivity and employee wellness improve.

Distance learning may give students the opportunity to start familiarising themselves with the tools that companies use to facilitate effective remote work.

"Students may, for example, be able to form remote study groups with fellow students over Skype or social media. If you have an Internet connection and a computer, then you can begin to incorporate all of the various technologies available into your daily routines," Nel points out.

Companies are also recognising that remote working has great potential to reduce costs for both employees and employers. Employees can eliminate the cost of commuting to and from an office every day. Meanwhile, organisations are able to hire remote employees who have high levels of experience and talent, while cutting down on the costs of training and the rental of physical work spaces in office buildings.

"There is no doubt that remote working is being seen as an increasingly attractive option for employees and employers alike. An employee who can prove that he or she is able to work effectively from home is going to be seen as a very useful asset," Nel concludes.