Before coronavirus came to American shores, remote work was a fringe topic in the broader workplace discussion. Yet when lockdowns spread all over the country, 95% of office workers transitioned to working from home at least part of the time. After an extended trial period that has yet to fully conclude, the results are in. 97% of office workers now say they prefer working remotely. 61% want a fully remote working environment going forward.
Why has working from home been so popular? The most commonly cited reasons are as follows. Few miss their morning commute, and workers are glad to regain the time they used to waste sitting in traffic. An overwhelming majority of workers think remote work has helped them improve their work/life balance. To be more specific, workers have been able to spend an increased amount of time with their families. While few workers chose to go remote initially, many now want their employers to give them the choice to stay home.
Businesses may be amenable to their employees’ wishes. For each employee a company allows to work from home 2 or 3 days a week, that company saves up to $11,000. While these savings do come from reduced office expenditures, they are also a result of reduced employee absence and turnover coupled with higher productivity levels. Flexibility improves work habits because employees feel empowered to make decisions. Loyal, empowered employees get their jobs done.
Unfortunately, few businesses can manage to be all remote all the time. Just 37% of all US jobs can be done completely from home. To get the best of both worlds, companies should erect a hybrid model in their workplace. Hybrid work mixes in-office and remote elements to produce the best fit for a company and its workers. For some companies, this means only allowing remote work in times of absolute need. For others, it means only the top leadership must work in an office. While the exact ratio of in person to remote work varies, the most important aspect of a hybrid model is that both working modes are combined in the company’s interest.
As is the case with any innovation, there are some challenges posed by a hybrid workplace. Office space usage needs to be carefully planned to ensure everyone who needs to be in the office has a place available. If two or more people share a certain desk, they cannot all occupy it at the same time. Managers must be careful to ensure their remote employees are just as included as their in person ones. This can be especially difficult in meetings when teleconferencing individuals have limited ways to speak up. Related to the issue of inclusion is collaboration; 2020 saw a 37% drop in collaboration time among remote employees. Many workers are part of a team, and keeping the team strong remains as important as it has ever been.
Hybrid workspaces are the future of office employment. The future is a source of nerves and excitement.
Source: TrackTime24.com