Companies large and small made the shift to remote working somewhat seamlessly, and are now considering where this work arrangement fits in the long-term.
Notable organizations, including Microsoft and Facebook, have already committed to expanding their flexible work policies for at least the next year and in certain cases, indefinitely.
However, some have taken note of the downfalls this work arrangement has on workplace culture and mental health. For instance, Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer canceled the company’s work-from-home program, citing that the best decisions came from impromptu meetings that cannot be replicated when operating remotely.
Mayer is not the only business leader to question a fully remote workforce. Others have considered the specifics of transitioning to working from home, such as whether salaries should be adjusted and if it is the responsibility of companies to subsidize rent or mortgage costs for distributed workers.
“People will need a dedicated workspace at home and it seems fair that employers would cover that additional cost, as well as that of work-level internet access and other work-related needs that were previously part of the office environment,” said Josh McHugh, CEO of Attention Span Media.
Still, the adoption of remote working has become inevitable worldwide. Morgan Stanley recently predicted that office tenants in Asia will give up between 3% and 9% of office space over the next three years.
