By Communication Consultant Ross Bell (Management Consulting, ’23)
As we turn the corner on the coronavirus pandemic, businesses are continuing to evaluate their remote work policy. Facebook now allows all full-time employees to work from home if their jobs permit. JP Morgan Chase required all of its employees back to the office by last July.
In a recent poll conducted by OnePoll, those 2,000 surveyed were asked to reflect upon their experiences with remote work. Participants were asked about their productivity, work-life balance, and more. Here are some of the key findings:
Nearly 48% of respondents say the company’s policy on remote work is now their number one desired workplace perk. Nearly 72% claim they would not consider working for a company that didn’t offer flexible work-from-home policies. This compares with only about 20% of employees claiming they worked from home before the pandemic. Where we work is now on the negotiating table– companies would be remiss if they fail to consider these new preferences.
Not only does remote work enable us to feel a greater sense of autonomy, but it also provides a better work-life balance. According to the survey, 71% percent of respondents claim to have a better work-life balance, which they attribute to more flexibility in their work schedules and the ability to take breaks whenever they want. Employees also believe their work is becoming more recognized, according to the survey. Perhaps this is because online communication flattens the hierarchy in organizations.
Although remote work may be here to stay, there are still some drawbacks.
The first drawback is technology. 35% of employees did not have the right office equipment and 36% of employees failed to communicate with coworkers effectively, the survey revealed. While this may seem discouraging, numerous companies have invested heavily in remediating these technological issues to accommodate for the new remote-work lifestyle. But unfortunately, these are not the only drawbacks to the shift toward remote work.
Some respondents also think their career advancement is being jeopardized. Almost 4 in 10 (36%) people believe “it has been a strain to effectively communicate with their leadership about career matters.” Although no further explanation was provided, I suspect this strained communication is the result of missing out on informal communication. Break room and hallway chats are sometimes how employees hear about new career advancement opportunities.
Fortunately, the survey provides insight on how companies can best implement remote work: the key is to prioritize communication.
More than half of respondents believe that managers who define expectations make a positive difference in their performance. 52% of employees believe that direct communication — perhaps designated “catch up meetings”– should be more frequent, and will better help employees understand their roles.
As you can tell, remote work is likely here to stay and managers should continue to find new ways to implement it effectively. Working from home provides employees with more autonomy and work-life balance, though it poses some challenges. Strong communication and constant feedback from employees can aid managers in implementing remote work effectively.
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Some information in this article comes from the following sources:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S000368701530048X
https://www.thebci.org/news/impacts-of-remote-working-and-the-future-of-the-office.html
https://www.studyfinds.org/employees-remote-work-from-home-forever/