Remote working is starting to have an impact on productivity, indicating that permanent remote structures are not ideal for all employees.
However, this reality does not mean that employees will instantly rush to the office full-time after the pandemic. In fact, going back to “normal” is almost completely out of the question.
“We are starting to see a curve of diminishing returns,” said Mark Coxon, technology sales director at Tangram. “That initial productivity boost from having the extra couple of hours at home and not in the car is fading.”
While the early days of the pandemic saw employees bright-eyed without the stress of daily commutes wearing them down, some remote working policies have started to hinder their productivity.
For instance, Zoom fatigue has become a frequent occurrence, especially as employers up the amount of virtual meetings they host in order to keep track of their remote employees.
This cuts into actual work time, leaving workers unable to find a good workflow.
However, Coxon added that meetings in general need to be adjusted in order to better engage workers in a way that is new and optimizes productivity.
“What we need to embrace is the idea of outcome-based design,” said Coxon. “The fundamental question becomes, is there a reason to meet in person? Could we just meet virtually? Do we need to meet at all? Thoughtfully addressing these kinds of questions can help build a hierarchy of decision-making.”
