Today, organizations have been left with no choice but to move their workforce to remote arrangements in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Although this is undoubtedly the largest adoption of remote working to date, it is not truly indicative of real remote working.
True remote working is not a sudden change and is usually voluntary. Employees that are able to work from home outside of the current circumstances are able to choose any location to be their office, whether that be a coffee shop or a coworking space.
Despite today’s remote workforce not fully representing remote working, it is certainly causing companies to rethink their operational strategies.
Moving forward, it is almost guaranteed that organizations will allow more flexibility in terms of where and when employees can work.
A study of remote workers found that nearly one-third of respondents chose having a flexible schedule as the top benefit of remote working. This allows workers to choose the time of day when they are most productive, taking breaks when they need them and allowing for a better work-life balance.
Asynchronous communication plays a significant role in flexible working as it indicates that you are working in tandem with colleagues regardless of their schedule. Synchronous communication involves days packed with video meetings, which has been found to hinder productivity, especially for parents who are juggling childcare and work at the moment.
