Current and Future Trends in Remote Work

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Current and Future Trends in Remote Work

Current and Future Trends in Remote Work

Working remotely has traditionally held a bad reputation, but more and more companies are adopting work-from-home policies. And these are Current and Future Trends in Remote Work

In the past, remote employees have had a bad reputation. Many employers believed their workforce would be too easily distracted at home, where their managers couldn’t keep an eye on their direct reports.

Remote work was scarce a decade ago. Working from home was usually only available as a special arrangement to accommodate families in specific cases.

However, teleconferencing and telework technology has advanced to the point where some businesses thrive with completely remote teams. It’s not uncommon for companies to allow their employees to work from home once or twice a week.

Remote work can also help prevent the spread of illness, helping companies avoid lost productivity and protecting public health. For example, the outbreak of COVID-19 prompted many employers to shift to a remote work model for all employees possible in a bid to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

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Is remote working effective?

A decade ago, most employers would have baulked employees from regularly working from home.

One primary concern most employers had for working remotely was a loss of productivity. How productive and efficient can employees be when coworkers and supervisors do not constantly supervise them?

To better understand the effectiveness of remote work, an organisation surveyed 1,004 full-time employees – 505 of whom were remote employees – throughout the U.S. about their work habits and productivity.

The results indicate that remote workers are more productive than their office-based counterparts. The study found the following:

Remote employees work an additional 1.4 more days per month than in-office employees, which is nearly 17 additional workdays annually.
Remote employees take longer breaks on average than office employees (22 minutes versus 18 minutes, respectively), but they work an additional 10 minutes daily.
Office workers are unproductive for an average of 37 minutes a day, not including lunch or breaks, whereas remote employees are unproductive for only 27 minutes.
15% of remote workers said their boss distracted them from work, which is less than the 22% of office-based employees who said the same thing.

While these statistics may encourage employees and employers to implement a work-from-home program, remote employees also reported higher stress levels and more difficulty finding work-life balance than office-based workers.

However, according to the American Psychological Association, remote work can increase employee satisfaction when implemented correctly.

Ultimately, working remotely is effective, but it has to be put into practice correctly, and it may not be the best situation for every employee or every business.

How remote work has evolved

There was a time when remote work as we know it wasn’t even a possibility because technology didn’t exist.

If your colleagues and business partners wanted to get in touch with you when you were out of the office, they couldn’t email, text or direct message you.

You would’ve needed to provide an alternative phone number, pager, or even a fax number to have a work-related conversation.

Even full-time “remote” positions were different from what they are today.

Ten years ago, remote employment meant a telemarketing or customer service position below minimum wage.

Technology:

Now, technology allows us to get the same job done, no matter where in the world we are. It has enabled us to be in contact with coworkers or clients at any time.”

One of the most helpful technologies for seamless remote work is video conferencing.

Live video feeds help out-of-office workers see and speak to one another in real-time, anywhere with an internet connection, which is the next best thing to a face-to-face meeting. But this capability wouldn’t be possible without the widespread broadband internet adoption of the past 10 to 15 years.

This technology has advanced so quickly that many companies have even done away with traditional offices. Instead, they run their businesses out of coworking spaces to accommodate their largely remote workforce.

Shared office spaces have been created where remote employees can gather to work and are more widely available in different cities.

Remote work also presents unique opportunities in a crisis, such as a natural disaster or an epidemic. For instance, as COVID-19, commonly known as the coronavirus, rapidly spreads worldwide, the ability of many workers to perform their job duties entirely from home can help protect public health and the business’s continued success.

The current state of remote work

Because of these advances in communication technology and internet access, teleworking has become an accepted practice in many offices in the U.S. and globally.

This work isn’t done entirely from home: Remote workers turn to coffee shops or coworking spaces, and some even travel the world while maintaining their career goals.

The modern workforce is increasingly mobile, collaborative, and dynamic and comprises multi-generations with different communication preferences.

These workers span multiple industries … all represent unique challenges regarding staying connected while on the job.

However, many companies have resisted this work trend for various reasons. Some business owners may fear a lack of productivity in their employees, while others haven’t invested in teleconferencing and telework tech to support remote workers. Still, many other businesses have dipped their toes into the remote workforce by creating a work-from-home policy for one or two days a week or as an exception for a few employees.

According to a survey by Buffer on remote work, 75% of remote workers said their companies don’t cover internet costs, and 71% said their employers don’t pay for coworking spaces for their employees.

These stats are marginally better than the previous year, in which 78% of companies didn’t cover internet costs and 76% didn’t pay for coworking spaces.

While the desire and expectation of working remotely increase yearly among the workforce, companies are only slowly adopting remote-friendly policies.

On the other hand, adopting a remote working policy can save companies money by removing the need for expensive office space (or satellite offices) while allowing workers to create schedules and work wherever they please. It can be a win-win situation.

What the future holds

Fast Company predicts that remote work software, like mobile work tools and virtual reality conferencing, will become the preferred form of communication – even over face-to-face meetings.

AI will also likely play a significant role in managing remote staff.

These advancements might put companies more at ease.

Managing a remote workforce might be daunting, but it can be seamless with the right tech and hardworking employees.

In the long run, fighting the change may do more harm than good.

Many employees now expect remote work opportunities; 60% increase in people who prefer to work from home in 2022.

Furthermore, according to Global Workplace Analytics, 37% of remote employees would take a 10% pay cut to continue working from home.

Because of this increasingly popular trend, some refuse to accept an onsite position, knowing they can find a more convenient and flexible gig elsewhere.

Instead of resisting the change, organisations should improve their remote work policies and capabilities.

12 Definitive Pros and Cons of Remote Working

Working remotely has made life easier for businesses and employees, and it’s evident with the number of companies capitalising on remote work setups.

According to Global Workplace Analytics, nearly 68% of surveyed employees have been successfully working remotely, which could be the future of work.

6 Key Pros of Remote Working

Working from home has changed the way companies and employees perceive work culture, and there are many advantages to a remote working policy.

These include:

An efficient horizontal work model.
Substantial savings on time and costs.
A better work-life balance for employees.
A boost in employee productivity.
A healthier lifestyle for employees.
The capability to hire talent from anywhere in the world.

Helps Save Time and Money

Having employees work remotely has fantastic time and cost-saving perks for your company.

Not paying for office space saves money for employers, and not having a daily commute saves employees time and money. It also reduces equipment maintenance, utilities, and other overhead costs that would otherwise be applicable.

It also does away with additional time and costs associated with long-distance business travel and accommodation since most meetings happen over video calls in remote teams.

Provides a Better Work-Life Balance

Remote work does away with the usual morning routine of getting ready for work and then commuting in jam-packed traffic.

Instead, employees can spend more time with their family and loved ones while finding time to engage in new hobbies and interests.

It helps them maintain a healthy work-life balance, leading to happier employees.

What does this mean for your business?

When employees are happy, they’ll be more satisfied with their work.

As a result, they are most likely to stay with your company, making employee retention a breeze. You’ll also notice improved productivity levels in these employees.

Boosts Employee Productivity

When employees have an outstanding work-life balance, it positively affects their overall productivity.

Office spaces do seem productive, but they also contribute to many distractions.

The tendency to take coffee breaks or get interrupted is far lesser at home. There are fewer distractions like watercooler chats, and since a remote job may offer flexible work hours, employees can meet deadlines feeling relaxed.

Employees also tend to take lesser leaves since they don’t get as stressed or burnt out working from home.

Promotes Healthier Employee Lifestyles

A work-from-home job benefits employees’ personal life and health.

Maintaining a nutritious diet and regular exercise can be difficult when you have the added constraint of travelling to work. And more often than not, buying takeout isn’t always the healthiest option.

On the other hand, planning out your workday and living healthier contributes generously to overall productivity. It also plays a vital role in decreasing the number of leaves employees would take.

Healthier employees also directly translate to reduced healthcare insurance costs for employers.

Allows You to Hire Better Talent Globally

A remote working environment enables companies to hire full-time and part-time talent with almost no restrictions geographically.

Being able to hire talent from around the world has many advantages, such as:

Diversification of your workforce and increased cultural literacy.

Various regional and cultural backgrounds help promote creativity and innovation.

The global reach helps promote brand recognition.

Improved quality of hiring.

A diverse workforce’s perspectives and personalities will bring fresh approaches and values to your workplace.

Helps Maintain an Efficient Organizational Model

Telecommuting has pushed organisations to adopt a more horizontal approach to hierarchy when compared to the vertical process, which has been the norm for an office environment.

Because meetings and other discussions happen over video conferencing, employees also learn to communicate efficiently to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings.

The horizontal approach to an organisation model allows for easier accessibility and communication between various employees of an organisation, irrespective of their position. Everyone feels equally essential, and it promotes efficient workflow.

6 Major Cons of Remote Working

There is always a downside to something good.

Many disadvantages dismiss remote working as a viable option for many industries.

Some of these include:

A reduction in teamwork.
The inability to interact socially.
The need for high levels of discipline.
A heavy dependency on technology.
A tendency to be overlooked for promotions.
The need to cope with unforeseen management issues.

Decreased Teamwork

A significant con of having your team split across various locations or working remotely is decreased teamwork.

A remote team may not be able to get in touch with each other as frequently. This can cause delays in deadlines, miscommunication, and frustration in general.

A reduction in teamwork can also reduce employee engagement, affecting overall productivity.

Reduced Social Interaction

A home office or a remote setting with reduced interaction can lead to boredom and feelings of loneliness.

Unlike in a physical office setting, coworkers can’t interact casually; even if they do, it’s usually for work.

It can get frustrating and lead to burnout, adversely affecting employee mental health.

Increased Need for Self-Discipline

An employee requires a high level of self-discipline when working remotely. A simple distraction can hinder productivity.

Some of the most common distractions a remote employee faces are:

Taking care of dependents.
Household chores that overlap with office work timings.
Constant notifications on social media.

As an employer, it can be strenuous to ascertain whether an employee would meet company standards while working remotely, making the hiring process difficult. And these are Current and Future Trends in Remote Work

Escalated Technological Dependency

Another disadvantage of moving to a remote working lifestyle is significantly relying on technology.

An internet connection issue at your home or remote working space can cause interruptions to work.

If a component on your PC or laptop fails, you must either drive to or get a technician to fix it, leaving you out of work for a few days.

Additionally, power outages can leave many people unable to work or connect online.

All of this can negatively impact the quality of work, attendance, and the ability to meet deadlines. In severe cases, this may also lead to employee termination.

Missed Promotion Opportunities

Due to the Covid pandemic, companies facing financial difficulties are holding back promotions and appraisals or downsizing their workforce.

This makes it challenging to deal with employee assessments.

With an increase in collaboration between companies and teams, the productivity of an individual remote team member can become ambiguous since there is little to no face-to-face interaction.

This can make it harder for managers and supervisors to assess which employees deserve a promotion or raise. And these are Current and Future Trends in Remote Work

Overloaded Management Responsibilities

While working from home sounds less hectic, you can expect some crucial challenges.

Employees will have to learn to use technology and software they may not have used before. Depending on the type of work, they’ll need to provide equipment and devices, which can have significant logistical implications.

Some departments, such as IT, may also face difficulties managing employees’ technical issues since most of these have to be resolved remotely.

Now that we’ve discussed the pros and cons of remote working, let’s look at how you can maintain a thriving remote working environment.

5 Best Practices to Maintain Efficient Remote Teams

Investing in the right tools and software programs for your teams make it far easier to maintain working arrangements for your employees.

You can also track productivity and company expenses and manage clients from anywhere worldwide.

Let’s look at five best practices for an intelligent remote workforce. And these are Current and Future Trends in Remote Work

Choose the Right Software

When it comes to choosing software programs for your remote working teams, it is essential to consider the following:

How well they integrate with other software programs.
How different groups will use them.
How prompt customer support is for each software program
Here are a few software programs to keep things running smoothly.

A) Messaging Software

You can’t go wrong with Slack or Microsoft Teams regarding messaging. They are our top recommendations with powerful integrations and an easy-to-use interface.

B) Project Management

Asana and Trello provide powerful features such as automation for tasks and projects and real-time reports to monitor progress and productivity for project management.

C) Video Conferencing

Zoom and Google Meet are two of the most popular video conferencing apps. They are available on both mobile and desktop, allowing users flexibility.

D) File Management

Google Workspace (Google Docs, Sheets, and Drive) is an excellent solution to file management. Using Drive, employees can share files automatically between relevant team members without worrying about unauthorised access. And these are Current and Future Trends in Remote Work

Effective Communication Protocols

Open lines of communication are a vital factor in how well a distributed team can work together in a remote setting. But, it is also essential to lay the groundwork and protocols for communication.

These include:

Setting up software programs for messaging and sharing documents and video conferencing for effective communication and increased productivity.
Scheduling specific hours when a team member contacts others sets a clear boundary between work hours and personal time.
Monitoring the frequency and duration of communication between employees can give insights into how internal communication can be more optimised.
Setting these ground rules will ensure smooth communication between remote and hybrid work teams, especially those working from different time zones. And these are Current and Future Trends in Remote Work

Tracking Employee Time and Productivity

Keeping track of your employees’ work hours helps you understand their productivity levels and monitor their progress for individual tasks.

Maintain Social Interaction

Maintaining social interaction between your employees is a good idea to keep their spirits up.

Organising group video calls and virtual team-building exercises can be an excellent way to learn more about each other and keep employee interaction high.

Employees can also use coworking spaces to stay socially active.

Occasional meet-ups with employees living in the same city or area are also a healthy method of interaction. However, always keep your local Covid guidelines in mind while stepping out. And these are Current and Future Trends in Remote Work

Understand and Support Your Remote Employees

Talking to your employees individually and getting to know them personally helps keep their morale up.

It helps you understand your employees’ situations; sometimes, you can even lend a helping hand.

Understanding and supporting your employees can lead to much happier workers, resulting in a healthy work environment.

Best Freelance Websites for Beginners and Professionals

Fiverr

Fiverr is a freelance service marketplace designed to help individuals get started with freelance work. The service accommodates different types of professionals, including writers, programmers, and graphic artists, to name a few. It has been growing in popularity among freelancers as it charges them a minimal fee, making it much easier to look for freelance jobs.

Nobody can market their services through the platform as it does not require extensive technical skills.

You can be a creative or technical professional and still be able to sell over Fiverr, which also gives you that needed exposure to boost your career. Even better, the service sets you up so that you make money and win what you love most. You can also rest assured that your data are protected as the website never shares seller information with any other party. And these are Current and Future Trends in Remote Work

What’s Unique About Fiverr?

Secure/Private Communication Channels. Fiverr values the privacy of sellers and employers utilising their applications. Thus, they make use of state-of-the-art anti-fraud and data security measures. Other than protecting personal information, these measures also let users communicate and exchange files through a secure messaging system within the platform.
Easily sell your services. The platform helps you market your service quickly as it charges a minimal signup fee. Any freelancer can sell on Fiverr, which is relatively easy to use and does not require one to be that technology savvy.
Secure personal data. You do not have to worry about unauthorised access to your details, as the system keeps them safe and secure. The use of your information is limited to helping buyers screen freelancer skills. No details are shared with any third party, so you can rest assured that all your details are confidential.

Upwork

A cloud-deployed global freelance platform, Upwork boasts the largest job finders pool to date.

It is the ideal place for freelancers can market their services, offering them highly competitive rates. Effectively linking sellers to buyers, the website lets you secure the best deals while ensuring that you work only for legitimate employers.

You can sign up for the service for free, allowing you to test the solution before committing.

What is unique about Upwork?

Easy Billing. You can send billings to employers that reflect hours worked for hours-based contracts. To give your clients a bigger picture of what they owe you, the platform comes with a Work Diary, which is also helpful for buyers as they are assured of accurate billing. It helps verify work hours rendered and track billable time.
In-App Communication Channels. Coordinating work among workers–be it part-time or full-time is essential to ensure the productivity of your operations. Communicate with your talents on the go using the in-app messaging tool of Upwork. This feature lets you provide feedback via text, video, and files with your freelancers. This feature promotes collaboration between employers and freelancers.
Easy and Secure Payments. Freelancers get to receive payment as soon as a job is completed. The buyers pre-fund their accounts for faster payments. This is apart from the system’s support of credit card payments and electronic payment gateways. You are assured that you get what you are owed on time. And these are Current and Future Trends in Remote Work

Freelancer.com

Freelance service marketplace and crowdsourcing platform Freelancer.com was built to link buyers and sellers in a single location.

It is popular among freelancers as it allows them to market their services quickly, supporting professionals, creatives, and technicals.

If you are a freelancer, you can use the platform to bid on projects such as data entry, software development, writing, marketing, accounting, and engineering, to name a few.

Freelancer pricing plans are pretty flexible, with the system offering monthly and annual subscription packages.

What is unique about Freelancer.com?

Safe and Secure Payments. This platform uses a milestone payment system that offers protection to all users of the site. It guarantees freelancers that the payment for their work is available and ready for release.
Easy Progress Monitoring. The system helps you maintain work transparency with your clients by monitoring the time spent on tasks, sharing data, and letting them check project progress. You can connect to your clients as the platform comes with live chat functionality. You can again use this feature to update employers on project status.
Fuss-Free Job Hunting Solutions. Using Freelancer.com, you can upload your skills profile for prospective employers. This way, buyers and sellers are effectively connected. Companies can choose from various sellers by allowing them to peruse their profiles and find the right individual for the right job. It likewise enables you to bid on the best projects quickly and easily. And these are Current and Future Trends in Remote Work

PeoplePerHour

Freelance service marketplace PeoplePerHour allows professionals around the world to find work that is suited to their qualifications.

It optimises the way sellers connect with businesses while equipping them with a variety of tools that freelancing tasks require. It showcases numerous features, including proposal viewing, in-app messaging, account management, and invoicing.

PeoplePerHour pricing plans come in different methods, such as monthly, one-time, and quote-based payments and can suit individual freelancers.

What is unique about PeoplePerHour?

Financial Protection. With PeoplePerHour, you do not have to worry about not getting paid on time, as the platform requires buyers to make down payments before you start working on a project. This also protects buyers against the possibility of a freelancer being unable to meet job specifications.
Regional recruitment. If you are a freelancer looking to work more comfortably, then PeoplePerHour is an exemplary service for you. It allows you to search for buyers within your region while facilitating a better understanding between buyers and sellers.

Guru.com

Guru.com is a freelance platform that offers professionals a hassle-free way of finding jobs and projects by effectively linking skilled individuals and companies worldwide. It allows for region-specific job posting while accepting a vast selection of job categories.

You also easily communicate with employers as the solution comes with a powerful dashboard that facilitates such.

It can also streamline all project management tasks so businesses can better handle projects. These tasks include document sharing and crafting payment deals. And these are Current and Future Trends in Remote Work

What is unique about Guru.com?

Robust Dashboard. Project management is a breeze with Guru.com, allowing users to set tasks and communicate with their workers with a singular dashboard. As a freelancer, this benefits you as you can quickly receive critical studies, updates, and documents, keeping you in the know. Private communication with clients can also be done from the dashboard.
Easy and Secure Payments. Finding a job using the platform assures you of timely and accurate payments. This is because the service automates payments, regardless if they are under recurring revenue, hourly, or fixed-price agreement. Costs are kept secure while enabling both parties to file disputes and request refunds.
Long-Term Relationships. Freelancers are rewarded with long-standing client relationships as Guru.com keeps tabs on capable workers who are seen to carry out projects effectively. This allows you to work with the same employers in the future. And these are Current and Future Trends in Remote Work

Cloud-based freelance platform Nexxt is designed to connect highly-skilled professionals and businesses looking to hire great talent.

Freelancers can easily hunt for highly-suitable projects and jobs by simply going through advertisements and position descriptions displayed by the system.

You can choose from various business clients, ranging from small to large enterprises. Communication between clients and professionals is also improved, allowing both parties to work more harmoniously.

What is unique about Nexxt?

A central hub for freelance talent. For skilled professionals searching for both long- and short-term projects, Nexxt is the right platform. All you have to do is sign up for the service, and you’re good to go. Of course, you will need to provide the platform with your professional details. In case you are the hands-on type, you also have the option to browse for available jobs right from the system.
Easy Job Search. You can easily search for projects and jobs tailored to your qualifications as the solution promotes job positions through best advertising practices. You can use your logo to provide personal and contact information while providing clients detailed reports of your activities.
Better Communication. Nexxt facilitates improved communication between buyers and sellers. This allows for better working conditions as clients can check project progress and give valuable feedback.

TaskRabbit

Freelance platform TaskRabbit is known for its same-day service capabilities. It allows professionals and companies to run more errands quickly and efficiently.

If you are a freelance worker, you can use the platform to search for all kinds of jobs, which include yard work, housekeeping, grocery delivery, and even furniture assembly.

TaskRabbit enables you to communicate with clients who can describe the services they require. The platform also informs you when a task is due to make the job much easier.

Accessible uniqueWhatmore accessible and unique about TaskRabbit?

Secure Deals. TaskRabbit allows you to conduct all transactions online using a desktop computer or mobile phone. You can easily view job posts and receive payments securely upon completing a task.
Market Your Skills. The platform lets you market your skills to a prospective client with ease. You must sign up for the service and provide the system with your professional info.
Improved Communication. The solution lets you easily connect to clientsquicklylting in more efficient and error-free work.

Hireable.com

Job marketplace Hireable.com is where freelancing professionals can hunt for projects for free.

Job hunting is easy as the platform comes with a search engine that yields numerous results with just a few mouse clicks. You can even use a single keyword to conduct a successful search, accelerating the job search process.

What is unique about Hireable.com?

Automated Notifications. Hireable.com comes with a feature that notifies job seekers of newly-posted job offers. This way, you learn about new jobs and see if your skills match the positions offered.
Quick Web Search. The system has a robust search engine that gives freelancers quick results whenever they conduct job searches. It is so powerful that even a single keyword can display multiple results from different industries, while using numerous words can significantly narrow your searches.
Job Recommendations. The platform recommends the right jobs to the right individuals. It doesn’t matter if a job offer comes from different companies; you get notified of the posting as long as the job description matches your skills. Even better, all your data is secure, with shared information limited to those you give out to companies.

WriterAccess

Essentially a forum designed to link writers, editors, content strategists, translators, and proofreaders, WriterAccess allows freelancers to post talent profiles that include work portfolios for prospective clients. And these are Current and Future Trends in Remote Work

This lets buyers accurately evaluate professionals and see if they suit their projects. It comes with content creation features that help talent and companies develop beautiful and compelling content that can be published directly to external platforms.

What is unique about WriterAccess?

Comprehensive Content Creation. WriterAccess offers professionals powerful content creation tools that include keyword optimisation, research, analytics, accessible order forms, and Getty images. This allows freelancers to create great content, which can be published on other platforms like Hootsuite, WordPress, Drupal, and HubSpot, to name a few.
Professional Teams. Using the platform allows you to join a team of highly-skilled professionals. Each member gets a star rating using past work experiences, customer reviews, online test results, and industry certifications. High ratings give you more chances of getting hired. And these are Current and Future Trends in Remote Work
Multimedia Resources. Writer Access has numerous visual, audio, and audio-visual content that greatly help both creatives and marketers. Such come in podcasts, books, and webinars, among many others. The great thing about these resources is that they can be downloaded for free.

Conclusion

Working remotely has traditionally held a bad reputation, but more and more companies are adopting work-from-home policies.

However, teleconferencing and telework technology has advanced to the point where some businesses thrive with completely remote teams. And these are Current and Future Trends in Remote Work.

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