The world’s largest work from home experiment has been underway for weeks now as coronavirus forces millions of businesses to close for the time being.
Although this shift in working seems sudden, the adoption of flexible and remote work options has been growing steadily across companies for years now and is expected to reshape the way we work for the foreseeable future.
Working has become increasingly mobile as many people can complete their work tasks with laptops and smartphones instead of stationary desktop computers. Now, mobility has become a requirement for companies who want to continue operating under current circumstances.
The traditional model of workplaces is also expected to be upended as employers become more accepting of telecommuting arrangements. In fact, a Gartner survey found that 74% of CFOs are planning to move on-site employees to remote work arrangements after the coronavirus. Still, companies that do make the plan to opt for more remote work options should ensure that their employees are still able to successfully collaborate and socialize with one another.
Despite the common misconception tha remote working hinders productivity, studies have found that when employees that were able to work remotely were more productive than their on-site counterparts.
In order for this style of working to be successful, managers and leaders need to put more trust in their staff, while also being empathetic to those who are juggling parental responsibilities at the moment. Trust leads to increased productivity, which helps a company’s bottom line.