Future of Remote Work Is Inextricably

The Future of Remote Work Is Inextricably Linked to Communication Technology and Inclusion

Working remotely has traditionally held a bad reputation, but more and more companies are adopting work-from-home policies. Check out the latest trends in remote work.

In the past, remote workers have had a poor reputation. Many businesses felt their employees would be too distracted at home, where their bosses couldn’t constantly watch over them.

A decade ago, remote work was uncommon. Working from home was typically only available as a special arrangement for families in specific circumstances. Teleworking and teleconferencing technology, on the other hand, has progressed to the point where some firms are successfully run with entirely remote teams. It’s not unusual for organizations to let their workers work from home once or twice a week.

The ability to work remotely may also help contain the illness, allowing businesses to avoid missed productivity and public health dangers. In response to the COVID-19 epidemic, many corporations converted to a remote work mode for all employees feasible in an effort to minimize the spread of coronavirus.

We’ll look at the history of working remotely, the current state of the workforce, and predictions for the future of remote employment to evaluate communication technology’s efficacy and job flexibility.

Is remote working effective?

There are plenty of studies that suggest working from home can be just as productive, if not more so, than working in an office. A 2019 study from Stanford University found that employees who worked from home completed 13.5% more calls than those in the office. And a 2018 study from the University of Zurich found that people who worked from home were happier and less likely to quit their jobs.

But not everyone is sold on the idea of working from home. In a 2019 survey from Gallup, only 43% of workers said they would like to work remotely full time. And a 2017 study from Harvard Business School found that people who worked from home were more likely to feel isolated and less connected to their co-workers.

To better evaluate the impact of remote work, Airtasker interviewed 1,004 full-time workers – 500 of who were remote employees – in the United States about their working habits and productivity. According to the findings, remote workers are actually more productive than those who work from an office. The following are some of the key findings:

• 78% of remote workers said they have more productive days than when they work from an office.
• 72% said they take fewer sick days when working remotely.
• 67% said they feel fewer distractions at home than in an office.

These findings suggest that, for many people, working from home can be just as productive, if not more so, than working in an office.

How remote work has evolved

The way we work has changed drastically over the past few decades. In the early days of the internet, telecommuting was seen as a luxury that only a select few could enjoy. But as broadband speeds increased and more people got online, working from home became a more viable option for businesses and employees alike.

In 2005, only 1.8 million people in the United States worked from home at least once a week. By 2017, that number had increased to just over 7 million. And according to a 2018 report from Global Workplace Analytics, 3.6% of the workforce – or around 5 million people – work from home at least half the time.

The rise of remote work can be attributed to a number of factors, including the increasing availability of high-speed internet, the proliferation of mobile devices, and the popularity of collaborative tools like Slack and Zoom. But one of the biggest reasons people are working from home more than ever before is because businesses are starting to see the benefits.

“Shared office spaces, in which remote workers can gather to work, have been built and are now more widespread in cities around the world,” Lambert added. “This alone reflects the growing number of remote employees over the last years.”

In the face of a disaster, such as a natural calamity or an epidemic, remote work opens up new possibilities. For example, while COVID-19, commonly known as the coronavirus, spreads quickly across the world, many employees’ ability to carry out their job duties entirely from home may help safeguard both public health and company success.

The current state of remote work

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many businesses to reevaluate their remote work policies. In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a pandemic, and countries around the world began implementing lockdown measures to help stop the spread of the virus.

As a result of these measures, millions of people have been forced to work from home. A recent survey from Gartner found that 88% of organizations have implemented some form of remote work policy in response to the pandemic.

For many businesses, the switch to remote work has been a success. A study from Cornell University found that two-thirds of companies said their employees were just as or more productive working from home as they were in the office.

But the transition to remote work hasn’t been easy for everyone. A recent survey from Gallup found that 37% of workers say they are struggling with the transition to working from home. And a study from Harvard Business School found that people who are working from home are more likely to feel isolated and less connected to their co-workers.

The future of remote work

Even over face-to-face meetings, remote work tools, such as mobile work tools and virtual reality conferencing, will soon be the preferred mode of communication, according to Fast Company. AI will also have a significant role in managing remote workers.

These improvements could make businesses more confident. The shift to managing a remote staff may be difficult, but with the appropriate technology and hardworking workers, it might be a smooth process.

In the long term, fighting it may do more harm than good. Many people now anticipate remote work opportunities. According to Buffer, 99 percent of current remote employees would want to work remotely for the rest of their lives, at least occasionally. That’s nine points higher than the proportion from the same survey last year.

Furthermore, according to Global Workplace Analytics, 37 percent of remote employees would accept a 10% pay cut in order to continue working from home. Some people are unwilling to take on an onsite employment opportunity because they know they may find a more convenient and flexible job elsewhere as this increasingly popular trend grows.

Instead of fighting the transformation, businesses should strengthen their remote work regulations and capabilities. If your organization is facing productivity and performance difficulties as a result of a corporate-wide ability to work from home, Lambert suggests establishing industry-standard key performance indicators (KPIs) for both management and labor. As a result, she explained, remote team members will be aware of goals and can be evaluated.