{"id":10739,"date":"2020-08-03T17:08:53","date_gmt":"2020-08-03T16:08:53","guid":{"rendered":"\/gb\/en\/blog\/?p=10739"},"modified":"2023-01-16T13:30:50","modified_gmt":"2023-01-16T13:30:50","slug":"10-incredible-things-the-remote-work-revolution-has-taught-us","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/gb\/en\/blog\/10-incredible-things-the-remote-work-revolution-has-taught-us\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Incredible Things the Remote-Work Revolution Has Taught Us"},"content":{"rendered":"

Long before people started turning spare bedrooms and idle breakfast nooks into makeshift office spaces, the emergence of the global remote workforce had begun. The mass migration toward working from home, coffee shops or wherever Wi-Fi’s ace had become a reality of the workplace. Then came a global pandemic and suddenly “WFH” was no longer a luxury but a necessity.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Throughout it all, it’s been fascinating to see the world’s organisations <\/span>adjust to the new norm <\/span><\/a>on the fly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, with social distancing a thing across the globe and the idea of clustering in groups a real concern for the foreseeable future, a trend that was already spiking in popularity across the European Union seems poised to soar in the near future.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Source: Eurostat @ Statista 2020<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Regardless of your views on the importance of reporting to an office on a daily basis (imperative for some jobs<\/a>), the impact of <\/span>the world’s biggest work-from-home experiment<\/span><\/a> is likely to further cement remote work as a cultural norm around the globe.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So, let’s explore why the remote workforce has been booming \u2014 and why it will continue to explode well into the future.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are 10 reasons why remote work isn’t going anywhere soon:<\/b><\/h2>\n

1. We are more connected than ever.<\/b><\/h3>\n

The biggest reason remote work <\/span>works<\/span><\/i> nowadays is because the tools to do it are more sophisticated than ever before. From world-class <\/span>video conferencing platforms<\/span><\/a> to cloud-computing tools that emulate the office workplace in almost every way, it’s never been easier to communicate with your team from wherever you are \u2014 be it home, <\/span>a coffee shop<\/span><\/a> or<\/span> nomadically<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Considering “over one-third of workers have responded to the pandemic by shifting to remote work” according to <\/span>a recent MIT study<\/span><\/a> of over 25,000 American workers, there’s a real belief that a significant chunk of this group could be here to stay.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOnce businesses and individuals invest in the fixed costs of remote work, they may decide to stay with the new methods,\u201d the MIT study reveals. If you’re wondering what that ultimate number could be across the globe, it’s worth considering how many people are currently working from home due to the coronavirus…<\/span><\/p>\n

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Source: Statista<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

It’s a lot.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You might also consider that it’s possible hiring back full-time workers will be slow on the uptick once COVID-19 ends, as a way to reduce risk. This will likely heighten the need for qualified freelance talent to help companies mind the gap remotely.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To that end, having access to a proven global talent network could assist remote teams by <\/span>creating and managing top-tier content<\/span><\/a> with agility from afar. This would allow them to find not just the best candidate in their local area, but across the world.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Tele-commutes are a lot shorter than real commutes.<\/b><\/h3>\n

According to this article and poll by SD Worx, <\/span>more than 20% of Europeans commuted at least 90 minutes daily<\/span><\/a> (before COVID-19). That’s almost 1.5 hours spent in a car, on a train, or squeezed onto a bus waiting for your job to begin. Sure, some people have the pressure and wherewithal to work on the way to work. But is that time even being figured into your total spend on the job?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Probably not.<\/span><\/p>\n

If there’s anything the remote work revolution has taught us, it’s that we can win back time in our day \u2014 and up the quality of our lives \u2014 simply by calling in remotely and connecting with instant message tools such as <\/span>RingCentral Glip<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Essentially, by doing our face-time online.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This was increasingly popular option before COVID-19, and only looks more appealing post-pandemic, whenever that will be. The problem pre-COVID, according to the same article, was that of the “European workers who had the option of flexible working, 30.7% rarely or never make use of it and 12.7% use it one day or less each month.” That’s bound to change in the short-term at least \u2014 and potentially for the long-term as it gets more normalised \u2014 so consider getting that home office<\/a> set up to succeed.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Source: SD Worx (2018)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

3. Remote workers are more apt to work more hours<\/b><\/h3>\n

Without any real commute (or co-workers popping by your cube to recount their favorite episode of <\/span>The Great British Bake Off<\/span><\/i>), you might expect the extra 2-3 hours a day the average worker gains back gets put to work. And you would be right.<\/span><\/p>\n

One study by the<\/span> Harvard Business Review<\/span><\/a> reported that productivity actually <\/span>increases<\/span><\/i> when people work-from-away. Namely, their results indicate that “examiners\u2019 work output increased by 4.4% after transition to WFA, with no significant increase in rework.” Meaning? Not only do remote workers gain time back from not having a commute, but they also make good use of it.<\/span><\/p>\n

4. Better work\/life balance awaits.<\/b><\/h3>\n

Think about it:\u00a0 As a full-timer, how many times did you have to conjure up some flimsy “doctor’s appointment” excuse to attend one of your child’s football matches?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You and everyone else.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Most people have had to fib at the office to secure a coveted “get out of work free card.” With remote work, there’s way more flexibility and a better opportunity to achieve greater work\/life balance. You might still be working full-time technically, but the whole idea of having to make up some sorry excuse to marvel in your child’s milestones is unnecessary when working remotely.<\/span><\/p>\n

Whether it’s a child’s commencement or just the ability to work through a homework problem with them instead of trusting the teenage au pair to do it, there are times when intangible value can be won back for your family simply by being at home.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are other things you’ll gain more time for:<\/span><\/p>\n