The rise of remote work

As it currently stands, the 9 to 5 job is out and remote work is in. Technology has empowered individuals to work from anywhere and at anytime, eliminating the need to be glued to an office desk for most of the day in order to get the job done. While technology is the underlying enabler of remote work, it has taken off across countries and companies because of the various benefits it offers. It helps businesses save costs and attract and retain employees. For employees, it leads to greater satisfaction levels, greater productivity, and it encourages a healthier work-life balance.

Remote work statistics

16% of companies are fully remote
52% of employees around the world work from home at least once a week
18% of employees work remotely full time
69% of millennials will trade other benefits for the option to work remotely
76% of workers would be more loyal to their companies if they allowed remote work
40% of remote workers say the number one advantage of remote work is having a flexible schedule
22% of remote workers struggle with unplugging from work
84% of remote workers prefer to work from home
Remote workers are 35-40% more productive
By 202, 26% of the remote workforce will be Gen Z
Companies that offer remote work improve their retention rates by 10%
Businesses can save up to $11,000 per employee every year by allowing them to work from home

* https://www.owllabs.com/state-of-remote-work

Common questions about remote work

While remote work is slowly becoming a new normal, there are many who aren’t yet convinced of the true potential and advantages of remote work. Some common issues that prevent companies from introducing remote work policies can be overcome by having a solid remote work policy and a clear process of how team members will communicate.

Managing a remote workforce

Managing a remote workforce is not an easy task and it requires effort and intentionality. It is a tricky situation where companies need to strike a balance between regular, on-going communication and making sure workers don’t feel micromanaged. One underlying requirement for remote work to work is to fully trust staff and that they will get done what needs to be done. On the other end of the spectrum is the fact that you don’t want your workers to feel isolated, as this can lead to low engagement levels.

A good scheduling software package is a must for any organization but it’s especially critical for those with staff in various locations. Deputy has a tool to help schedule employees that work in multiple office locations and is perfect for managing remote employees.

Communication

For remote work to be a successful endeavor, communication is key. There are various ways to approach this factor; some companies use collaboration apps like Slack, Trello, and Asana. Others use Skype, Go to Meeting, or Zoom in order to have regular video calls; and then there are companies that have designed their own intranet to conduct all internal communication issues. Whichever option you choose, the idea is for your company’s remote workers to always have open channels of communication with colleagues and supervisors.

Productivity

The truth is that remote workers are more productive than their in-office counterparts. This is true, despite the fact that many, at first, believed that letting professionals work from home would lead to lower performance as working from home they would be more likely to be distracted by home issues. Luckily, recent reports have found that the opposite is true and that remote workers tend to be more engaged with their work. One possible explanation for this is that remote workers can choose (to a certain extent) the hours in which they work, giving them more control over their lives. More importantly, however, being able to choose their own working hours means that they will likely get down to work during their most productive times (for some it’s early in the morning, for others its after lunch, and then there’s the occasional night owl).

Burnout and loneliness

While remote work offers many advantages, it has its own share of disadvantages. While remote workers are more productive and satisfied with their job, sometimes working remotely can lead to burnout and feelings of loneliness. The latter can be managed by having regular one on one meetings with staff and by making sure that people are regularly communicating with one another. The former, burnout, is a trickier situation. Reports have found that remote workers have a harder time powering off and disconnecting from their work. Therefore, it’s not uncommon to have remote workers that are always on, answering emails, calls, chats, etc. regardless if it’s in the wee hours of the morning or quite late at night. To help prevent burnout among remote workers, companies should encourage them to set their own available hours, make sure they take breaks throughout the day, and measuring performance based on results and not total hours clocked in.

Diversity and inclusion

One less cited advantage of remote work is that can enable companies to achieve its diversity and inclusion goals. By allowing staff to work remotely, companies are able to hire professionals that would otherwise not be able to work: parents, caregivers, students, women, disabled individuals, the list goes on. Additionally, by having a remote work policy in place companies can hire talent across borders, meaning that they will have a more diverse workforce simply by taking geographic lines out of the equation.

Looking ahead

Remote work will continue to grow and evolve in the coming years as technology continues to change the nature of work. Currently, remote work has given rise to digital nomads and emerging technologies continue to shape the way we work.

In the future, augmented reality and virtual reality are likely to revolutionize the way we interact with space and people; instead of having video calls, remote workers will be able to meet with others face to face, but virtually through holograms or a virtual reality headset.

In simple terms, remote work is the way of the future. In fact, it’s the way of today, as more professionals expect their companies to provide flexible working or remote work policies.