The year 2020 and the height of the pandemic caused workers and employers everywhere to rethink how and where people work. Seemingly overnight the entire workforce shifted from the daily commute and nine-to-five grind to work wherever and whenever you had internet. Suddenly, a whole generation of workers figured out that they can be just as productive at home as in an office, maybe even more productive.
The Data is Clear
After nearly three years since the sudden change, the data is clear. On average, remote workers tend to be significantly more productive than those working full-time in an office.
Owl Labs has put together a comprehensive review of remote work. Here are some of their effective findings:
- 90% of workers say they are at the same productivity level or higher working from home.
- 55% say they work more hours from home than in an office.
- 1 in 3 employees would quit if they could no longer work remotely.
- 71% of employees want a hybrid or remote working style.
- 39% of employers require employees to be in the office full-time, but only 29% want to be.
- 28% of office workers said that their daily commute negatively impacted their productivity, compared to 18% of remote workers.
- Remote workers were overall 47% more productive.
The Future
There are promising results for offering a hybrid work week for employees, especially for those who enjoy the extra collaboration and interactions offices can provide. However, strict back-to-the-office policies have been met with strong resistance and/or mass exodus for more flexible opportunities. Even full-time remote work isn’t everyone’s idea of a perfect work environment.
What’s the best option?
In 2022, millennials were the largest generation in the workforce and tended to have a completely different view on work-life than the previous generations. Most millennials prefer remote work to continue and won’t even consider a job if it doesn’t offer at least some remote work.
However, the previous generations don’t view remote work nearly as highly as millennials. The baby boomers and beyond think of remote work as welcomed but not mandatory. They’re accustomed to working in an office and don’t mind the daily commutes or grind as much as the younger generations.
So, as long as Millennials are the largest workforce, remote work isn’t going anywhere. And with Gen Z sharing the same tendencies for work-life balance, remote work is here to stay. Companies are obligated to continue to adapt in 2023 and beyond to meet the demands of the increasingly growing younger generations and leave the daily office commute in the past.
How to Prepare for Remote Work:
1. Set up a centralized information system.
Information needs to be easily and readily accessible for employees working worldwide. Invest in a reliable centralized information system where everyone in the company can create, upload, and edit information. Sharepoint and Dropbox are great examples.
2. Train everyone on how to use the same messaging platform.
This focuses on establishing effective communication between team members. Microsoft Teams or Slack are perfect examples of easily accessible messaging platforms that allow teams to collaborate often and not feel isolated.
3. Optimize Job Postings.
If you’re hiring for a remote position, finding the right person is important. Despite someone’s qualifications, they might lack initiative when working remotely. When reviewing applications or conducting interviews, have a specific set of criteria that candidates need to meet.
Nonprofit Resources has been fully remote and successfully implementing these practices since before the pandemic. If you are interested in a remote career, click the link below to learn more.
Sources:
https://owllabs.com/state-of-remote-work/2021/
https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/04/11/millennials-largest-generation-us-labor-force/
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