What We Need to Keep Remote Work Teams Out of The Office
Working from home was once unheard of, only becoming the norm when the pandemic struck. In 2020, millions of people worked remotely, however, these numbers have been on a steady decline since. Now, 40% of U.S. employees work remotely at least one day per week, with only 12.5% of people working primarily from home.
Next Steps for Remote Work
Although the number of U.S. workers that work remotely is dwindling, there are still work from home opportunities across the country. Working from home has settled since the pandemic, but is kept alive by the benefits that it offers to both employees and their employers.
Under a remote or hybrid schedule, the commute time for employees is greatly reduced or even eliminated. With this comes saving time and money on getting ready or buying necessities like gas and food. This extra time and greater flexibility during a remote workday allows for more time spent on personal endeavors. This heightened work/life balance makes employees more motivated to make the most of their workday and boosts morale.
On the other side of the coin, employers benefit from a hybrid business model as well. Because workers are reaping greater benefits during their workday, many companies see reduced absenteeism and greater productivity. This model has also been observed lowering turnover, reducing employee churn by 50%. Adopting and maintaining remote work opportunities can even save companies $20k-$37k per employee annually.
Conclusion
Several years after the start of the pandemic, the desire to work from home in some capacity is very present. In order to satisfy this need, companies need to take the proper steps to ensure they are prepared. First, connectivity platforms must be up and running, keeping employees productive wherever they choose to work from. Additionally, cybersecurity and IT tools must be at-the-ready to defend companies from any security threats. Finally, AI software must be utilized to optimize the workday and ensure that the highest forms of technology are being put to use. With these strategies in play, the future will be bright for the already successful hybrid business model.