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How The Future of Remote Work Could Unfold

BUSINESS TIPS  |  December 29, 2022

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, many business leaders feared a huge slump in productivity as employees ditched the office and worked from home. As it turned out, more work got done and productivity levels soared worldwide. According to the International Labour Organization, work increased by 4.9% in 2020, which is more than double the annual average of 2.4% recorded between 2005 and 2019.

It’s safe to say this new workplace paradigm is here to stay, but its current iteration is far from perfect. There are lots of questions — and for some companies, a degree of uncertainty  — on how their remote working capacity can improve moving forward. 

To thrive and unlock growth in the coming years, the following five points should be a key emphasis.

  1. Establishing clear expectations and better metrics

Many firms have resorted to increased productivity surveillance to ensure people are getting stuff done at home. Rather than looking at objective metrics to determine who should get promoted or be assigned a major project, some leaders simply make the decision based on arbitrary busyness metrics. 

Instead of relying on who looks busy, as described in this Gallup report on the future hybrid workplace, companies should set clear and realistic expectations on what constitutes a productive work day. Each position within an organization should have clearly defined performance metrics. Managers should create strong feedback loops to help workers see areas for improvement. 

  1. Keeping the culture alive

With remote work, people no longer get the opportunity to interact with coworkers as often as they did back in the pre-COVID workplace. This lack of in-person engagement can prevent workers from cultivating the professional relationships they need to thrive in their job. Additionally, these workplace bonds are essential in building trust and culture, which are strong drivers of innovation. 

It falls on leadership to help workers feel connected to their coworkers and the organization.

One of the first steps in this direction is to actively enable better communication. In practice, this can translate to succinct meetings with clearly stated agendas. There should also be a focus on coaching and mentoring that equips workers with the skills they need to be effective at what they do. 

  1. A hybrid approach may work best for most teams

In the same Gallup report mentioned earlier, a survey revealed that over 50% of 8,090 remote workers in the US preferred a hybrid work arrangement. Some of the top reasons include:

  • Avoiding long commute times
  • Balancing family obligations with professional commitments
  • Working in-person with coworkers on certain days 
  • Feeling more productive and connected to the organization

What this sample data shows is important because while many don’t want to return to the traditional office setup, there’s still a strong need to interact with people and to feel connected to company culture. Leaders should find creative ways to balance workers’ need for autonomy with the need to socialize with other people within the organization.

  1. Onsite workers may be more ahead career-wise

Another factor to consider in a remote or hybrid work environment is the potential of onsite workers advancing further than their peers, largely because of more face time with managers and key decision makers. 

For instance, in the context of collaborative work, leaders are more likely to promote in-office workers than purely remote workers. But it’s more than just a matter of visibility and playing up a facade of busyness. People in the office can engage supervisors and other higher ups in meaningful conversations that go beyond work, allowing them to build key relationships which can be useful in their current job or later on in their careers.  

That all said, relationship-building and watercooler conversations shouldn’t be the only measures that determine whether or not people get a raise or promotion. This is where developing clear performance metrics will once again come in handy. 

It’s difficult to stamp out favoritism and there’s no denying the importance of social time with colleagues, but sticking to a merit-based system subjects everyone — including leaders — to a fair judgment based on objective value added to the company.  

  1. More work will be outsourced to contractors 

Improved productivity during the first phase of the pandemic proved the case for remote work. From a business perspective, this puts companies in a position to reduce costs where needed. 

But it’s important for companies to realize that outsourcing should only form one part of the overall strategy. Cultivating culture and developing people for leadership roles is important for long-term business success and that can’t be done without a strong core of full-time workers.

 

If you’re starting a new business venture or expanding into a new market, recruiting the right people with the right skills is essential.

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