Variations of lockdown and quarantine orders across the globe accelerated the push for remote work in 2020 – and it will persist and even become a permanent landscape for many workers in 2021. In Upwork’s “Future of Workforce Pulse Report,” it’s predicted that 36.2 million Americans will be working remotely in 2025 – an 87% increase from pre-pandemic levels.
As the economy slowly reopens and with more people getting vaccinated, many employees are left wondering if they are to still log in from the comforts of their home, or is it time to turn on the lights of their offices?
Hybrid Work Arrangement
While remote work is not without limitations, and the so-called ‘unprecedented times’ will cease to exist, employers are making significant changes to simplify remote setup and create a hybrid work model – shifting between remote and onsite work. Employers are also looking into creating a work schedule where employees must only report for 2-3 days every week. We will also see the rise of hub-and-spoke workspaces, a central headquarters for any immediate, spatial need to conduct import meetings, brainstorming sessions, and any other gatherings that will require physical presence.
Reinventing the Recruitment Experience
We saw many brick-and-mortar offices close down or completely go digital in 2020, and with that comes the end for face-to-face interviews and walk-in visits for aspiring applicants. Although phone screenings and video interviews are not entirely new in talent acquisition, employers will continue to rely heavily on facilitating virtual interviews. Aside from the obvious convenience, a completely digital hiring process enables easier scheduling of interviews and a faster deliberation process – without eliminating candidate profiling, which is essential in screening applicants.
Technology as the Center
As we get more tethered to our home offices, the need for digital transformation and automation becomes more immediate. To remain connected and to stay productive, businesses are adapting to the shifting work landscape, with technology as the center of it all. And beyond the need for telecommunication, technology will play a significant role in permeating employer/employee relationships and strengthening leadership across an organization’s ecosystem. Leaders and managers across the board must think of innovative and intuitive ways to create a balance between digital management and empathic leadership, especially when people’s wellbeing and mental health are at an all-time low.
Leadership Presence
While remote work is here to stay for many companies, completely transitioning to remote operations poses many challenges and discontent, especially from organizations who are still strangers to this environment. In times like these, leadership presence and support in every way possible helps the workforce function and adjust to the best of their abilities. Over-communicate, if you must. Instead of seeing remote work as a roadblock in communication, leverage the tools and resources within this landscape to parallel the connection we make in face-to-face correspondence. It’s important for leaders to manage emotions, exhibit 100% transparency, and help everyone understand the rationale behind the transition. By being constantly present and communicating these things, the sense of clarity enables your team to recognize the big picture: what you’re doing and why you’re doing it.
We fear what we do not understand, and much is the same in the case of remote work. If your organization is making the big transition from onsite operations to a completely digital workplace, TeamSpan Global Solutions will help you manage your way through the unsure waters of remote work. We build high-performing teams for a fraction of the cost. Let us know how we can help you – our teams are committed to getting the job done and getting your company ahead of competition.