According to Forbes, around 28% of full-time employees today work in a hybrid setup, while 12% work from home because people find remote work convenient, leading to various shifts in employment.¹
In this article, we’ll discuss the current state of remote work, what employers think about it, how it can benefit the future of work, and what employees can expect in the coming years.
The Emergence of Remote Work
In the 1840s, modern business offices started to appear one by one, mainly railroad, banking, and insurance. Office spaces became popular in the Industrial Revolution when there were various opportunities for work available to everyone.
It wasn’t until 2020 that the purpose of having an office drastically shifted. The most recent COVID-19 pandemic took the world by storm, affecting billions worldwide. This was also the beginning of the adaptation of remote work or work-from-home (WFH) setups by many businesses and governments.
According to the Pew Research Center, 14% or about 22 million employees are working from home full-time.² This is critical information in foreseeing what remote working looks like for us in the coming years.
Key Remote Work Trends in 2023
When the pandemic subsided in 2022, people started to return to their lives, visiting their friends and loved ones, attending community gatherings, and returning to the office.
However, after having experienced remote work, people started looking for it in their employment setups. This gave birth to a few trends and led us to where we are today.
1. The Significance of a Hybrid Working Environment
The search volume for the keyword “hybrid work” has increased exponentially since the pandemic.³ However, the study also says that employers still wanted their people to be at the office, and only 13% of executives support working from home.
This is where a hybrid work schedule comes into play. It perfectly balances employees wanting to work from home and employers needing people in the office.
2. “Bossware” in Tracking Productivity
Since people are now working at home, employers opted to use productivity trackers or performance-monitoring software, or what is commonly referred to as “Bossware.” Tracking activities, efficiency, and productivity across the screen can be challenging, which is why most employers prefer their employees to be in the office.
Because of this dilemma, various tracking software or “Bosswares” are now being utilized to monitor employees, ensuring they deliver their work.
3. Flexibility Leads to Better Engagement
According to Gallup, in a study focusing on employees under hybrid programs, flexibility increases employee happiness and engagement, boosting productivity, enthusiasm, and dedication to their responsibilities.⁴
About 70% of employees who work remotely experienced a boost in productivity and mental health. These same people also said that their work structure further helped them develop better relationships with their coworkers and managers.
Read More: Guide to Remote Working: Pros and Cons For Employees
4. Remote Work Over Pay
In the same study by Gallup, 54% of office workers said they’re willing to leave their current jobs for more flexible, remote job opportunities. This means that people today prefer better working arrangements and would let go of their current pay if they could work remotely and flexibly.
Insights Into the Remote Work Landscape
The changes we witnessed in the past five years have definite long-term effects on how we view and conduct work. Chief Marketing Officer at Freshworks, Stacey Epstein, said that the modern workforce is more adaptable, dynamic, cooperative, and collaborative thanks to the flexibility brought about by remote work.⁵
Regarding employers being stringent about traditional work, Robert Half Senior Executive Director Paul McDonald says that many professionals prefer flexibility. This alone can help retain top employees because of the better work-life balance it offers.
“Companies shouldn’t relax their regulations on remote work even when more individuals have just returned to the office. Many professionals unquestionably view flexibility and choice as non-negotiables, and firms will lose competent employees if they restrict remote choices and possibilities”. – Paul McDonald
The Future of the Remote Workforce
Upwork, one of the leading freelance platforms, says that 32.6 million Americans will work remotely by 2025, which is 22% of the total workforce.⁶
Remote work isn’t going anywhere and will continue to progress in the following years, providing the workforce and employers with unique methods, perspectives, and operational styles we never thought possible.
As more and more organizations are trying to understand the benefits and adapt remote work in their organizations, it’s uncertain whether remote work will fully replace standard employment structures or whether organizations will only adapt to a hybrid setup.
Despite these uncertainties, remote work benefits both employees and employers and will gradually become part of the norm.
HEAD TOWARD THE FUTURE OF WORK WITH ACS PROFESSIONAL STAFFING
We’re all curious to see how remote working will be in the next few years. At ACS Professional Staffing, we are committed to providing our client organizations, candidates, and contractors with the best work arrangements.
If you’re an employee in the engineering, finance, IT, support, and management spaces or an organization looking for exceptional candidates, ACS Professional Staffing is here to help!
Contact us today and learn how we can assist you.
References
1. Haan, Kathy. “Remote Work Statistics and Trends in 2023.” Forbes Advisor, 12 Jun. 2023, www.forbes.com/remote-work-statistics.
2. Parker, Kim. “About a Third of U.S. Workers Who Can Work From Home Now Do So All the Time.” Pew Research Center, 30 Mar. 2023, www.pewresearch.org/about-a-third-of-us-workers-who-can-work-from-home-do-so-all-the-time.
3. Howarth, Josh. “7 Remote Work Trends For 2023-2025.” Exploding Topic, 28 Mar. 2023, explodingtopics.com/remote-work-trends.
4. Hickman, Adam and Robison, Jennifer. “Is Working Remotely Effective? Gallup Research Says Yes.” Gallup, 24 Jan. 2020, www.gallup.com/working-remotely-effective-gallup-research-says-yes.
5. Hamingson, Natalie. “Communication Technology and Inclusion Will Shape the Future of Remote Work.” Business News Daily, 12 Apr. 2023, www.businessnewsdaily.com/8156-future-of-remote-work.
6. “Upwork Study Finds 22% of American Workforce Will Be Remote by 2025.” Upwork, 15 Dec. 2020, www.upwork.com/upwork-study-finds-22-of-american-workforce-will-be-remote-by-2025.