COVID-19 created a new wave of remote workers
56%
of respondents started working remotely during the pandemic. However, when asked what they would change about the place they work, only
1%
indicated they would like to go back to the office. The extended nature of COVID-19 ensures that these employees now identify as a remote worker. Identification is important, as it creates additional motivation to improve fluency and embrace workflows which strengthen distributed teams. Remote work was already a mainstay amongst freelancers, creatives, and entrepreneurs. COVID-19 has democratized the notion of decoupling geography from results, thrusting it into the corporate mainstream.
Remote isn’t the future of work; it’s the future of living
37%
of respondents have optimized their lives to spend more time with their family or community.
30%
are prioritizing the outdoors or exercise and health. And
26%
are streamlining their schedules to reclaim more time in their days.
This sheds light on a nuanced reality: remote work is more about the future of living than work. Workers appreciate the flexibility to fit work into their life schedule as opposed to vice-versa, with many not needing to move in order to appreciate that optionality. The key is that remote work makes the day-to-day more manageable, with a series of minor quality of life adjustments amounting to a significant net improvement.
Remote leadership requires more pragmatism, fewer politics
A diverse array of responses show that remote workers expect flexibility, solid communication, and trust that they’ll be responsible for achieving their objectives. With in-person politics playing less of a role in praise and promotion, clock-in and clock-out times are less relevant. Rather, workers will demand that they be judged solely on their outputs, which will help leadership remove bias from the evaluation process.
"Think about the things outside of work that matter to you. You work to live, not the other way around."
- Merchandise planner, eCommerce, working remotely 6 months
Work/life boundaries are a complicated challenge
When asked what advice they would offer to anyone selecting a remote work location, a stunning
77%
of responses centered around four key areas: setting boundaries
(25%)
, staying focused and productive
(20%)
, protecting your mental and physical health
(23%)
, and putting personal priorities first
(9%).
Given what we’re learning about the accelerating rate of burnout across industries and with a growing center in remote workers, this could indicate that one of the biggest challenges we still face is to create healthy boundaries. Indeed,
22%
of respondents stated that they have no dedicated home office space.
Supporting remote work is a boon for retention
In a world of variables, our data show an overwhelming link between company loyalty and support for remote work.
74%
of respondents say they are “somewhat” to “very” likely to remain with their current employer “due to support of remote work.”