Work in Your PJs: 7 Remote Work Trends to Inspire the Future
Did you know that 55% of businesses around the world offer some remote work flexibility?
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many people have been experiencing working from home or remotely. There’s great uncertainty in what’s next for the world of work. However, after the pandemic, many businesses are likely to encourage more remote work.
Keep reading to find out more about the remote work trends that are happening right now.
- Increased Use of Collaboration Tools
The growing trend of working remotely is increasing the need for collaborative tools. More and more businesses are turning to tools that can be implemented and used across the organization.
Working remotely brings big challenges when it comes to collaborating on projects and working with team members. However, businesses that choose tools such as Microsoft Teams, Slack, and Monday.com can help overcome these challenges.
Ensuring your tools have a range of communication methods is vital. That’s because different communication methods help to boost productivity and employee engagement. So, make sure you choose tools that have video functions, chat features, and calendars to keep everything organized.
- Fewer People Choosing City Life
Before the pandemic, many people needed to work and live in major cities in order to gain career opportunities. However, now that there’s been a shift and more people are working from home, employees are leaving city life behind.
Fewer people are choosing to live in the city as a result of remote working. This remote working trend allows employees to choose where they want to live and the type of work-life balance they want. Giving more employees control over where they want to live might be able to boost productivity and happiness levels.
This latest trend has also seen big savings in business expenses such as office space, electricity, travel, and employee perks.
- Redesigning Offices
Large organizations and tech giants have spoken about how they intend to continue a work from home culture after the pandemic. For example, Facebook has announced that some of its employees will permanently work remotely. This allows Facebook to recruit new talent from all over the globe who might otherwise not have had the chance to contribute their skills.
Many businesses are rethinking the way they work and what is most effective for their employees and customers. A lot of businesses are considering more flexible working patterns and the opportunity to work remotely. As such, most are redesigning their offices.
Offices in the future may have less workspace for employees (as they work from home or co-working spaces) and more space for meeting rooms. Other redesign ideas might include new safety measures or spaces that encourage innovation.
- Collecting More Data
Employers are relying on data to find out how their employees are working. Some employers are monitoring employee’s computer usage. While others are monitoring productivity or engagement.
These data collections are enabling businesses to make sure their employees are being engaged with their work. The data is also helping to highlight and understand employee’s experiences with the company. This can help businesses create more efficient processes that work for the business and employees.
Virtualization can help with data collection and employee experience. It also helps to eliminate downtime and increase operating costs. One such software to improve virtualization is VMware, learn more about how to use vmware.
- Recruiting Differently
When it comes to trends in remote working, a significant change is how businesses want to work with employees. Most organizations have stated that they want to work more with contingent workers. The flexibility of contingent workers gives businesses a chance to reduce their costs while still completing projects and workload.
Future recruitment may look very different for businesses, especially those who choose to mainly work remotely. For example, talent sharing may become a new phenomenon or some businesses may keep employees on an 80% pay and work scheme.
The gig economy has often thrived in a remote working environment, so it comes as no surprise that businesses want to attract this talent. However, a challenge that organizations will need to overcome is workers’ rights and eligibility for benefits.
- Focus on Wellbeing and Health
Working from home can be great for employees. However, it can also blur the lines of work and home, which can cause problems in employees’ health and wellbeing. That’s why a common trend we’re seeing is an increased focus on wellbeing and health.
Businesses are investing more in employee health and wellness to ensure nobody gets left behind or feels overwhelmed. This shift is a very positive one and can benefit both the business and the employee. After all, employees who are happier are more engaged and productive.
Some companies have implemented wellness and health guides for their employees. While others choose to incorporate more health and wellness into the company culture, such as yoga sessions. Others are offering more support and advice, such as flexible working for those with children.
- More Virtual Networking
Another important trend that has come from the pandemic is the need for virtual networking. More and more networking events are popping up online to allow people to connect, network, and collaborate. These are particularly important for those who are new to remote working because it helps to reduce isolation.
With more time on their hands, employees can invest their energy and time in networking events to help further their careers. Alternatively, networking events offer a great chance to meet like-minded individuals or search for career changes.
Stay Afloat of Remote Work Trends
Working remotely looks like it is here to stay in some form or another, which is why it’s important to stay up-to-date with remote work trends. Whether you run your own business or you’re an employee make sure your business is implementing the latest trends and supporting one another.
Discover some of our other business articles to keep up-to-date with the latest remote work news and tips.
