By 
The pandemic pushed more people than ever into remote work. Homes became officers, video communication software became the norm, and the daily commute vanished. Yet, even with the pandemic seeming to wind towards a slow conclusion, there are plenty of reasons to suspect that remote work will continue and might even become that much talked about “new normal.”
We’ve learned what’s possible
Perhaps the biggest lesson that employers have learned throughout the pandemic is just how much can be accomplished with remote teams. Tasks that might once have seemed impossible to perform anywhere but in the office were suddenly being accomplished at home. The pandemic also revealed that many of the previously thought limitations with remote working simply aren’t a problem by forcing workforces to adapt, if you need an office then look for the best computer desks.
Part of the reason for this is the advance of systems like Zoom, Slack, and Microsoft Teams. Technology was always developing, but it took the pandemic for employers to realize how it has removed nearly all boundaries to remote work. This goes some way to explain why some of the largest firms in America are keeping their remote work protocols in place. There’s no word (yet) on whether these positions will be permanently remote, but with big companies like Amazon and American Express in no hurry to return to the office, the implications are clear.
Employers can still engage with their workforce
One of the major downsides associated with remote work is the loss of face to face contact. At the beginning of the pandemic, this stoked concerns that employers would lose that vital, in house connection with their employees leading to decreased job satisfaction, muddled feedback, and a generally poorer working environment.
Technology has the answer here, too. There are now more ways than ever to gauge your employees’ happiness and job satisfaction, and they’re all fully remote. Using a survey platform like inpulse.com, employers can charter productivity, job satisfaction, and even the workforce’s emotional well-being. Then, it’s easy to take the appropriate action, which might include increased support, tailoring feedback – the possibilities are endless. Remote work no longer means isolation. Employers have ample tools at their disposal to connect.
It might actually increase productivity
One of the biggest concerns about remote work is productivity. With all the distractions of home life, it’s easy to imagine that productivity will drop. Recent studies have indicated that the opposite might be true. Remote workers may actually be more productive than their office-based counterparts, and this makes sense.
Remote work necessarily squeezes out any wasted time, and in reality, it can be far more time-efficient than working in the office. Superfluous face to face meetings and the daily commute were the biggest casualties of the home working trend, the elimination of which gave workers more free time to focus on the tasks that matter. Moreover, many workers find the freedom of working in their own environment liberating. With no office politics to worry about, it’s easier for employees to focus all of their energy on the business.
