Is remote working here to stay?

Remote working is the new normal and working in the office is going to be a thing of the past.

Last year we were forced to work from home and for some people this is ideal but for others less so with some hopeful that by the end of the year we would return to the office. Even with vaccine approval it seems 2021 is going to have the same theme as 2020.

Businesses will no doubt already have in place or be putting in place their long term plans for returning to the office or not returning at all. 2020 was the year that we re-examined our office life and it seems there is no going back now.

Report by the Institute of Directors

A report by the Institute of Directors on working from home published in October 2020 suggests that remote working is here to stay with 74% of those that were surveyed want to keep employees working from home even after the pandemic their main reasons being:

• home working has proven to be more cost-effective for businesses with reduced site overheads; and
• employees favoured compressed or flexible working hours over set office hours.

Downsides to remote working

Remote home schooling, internet connectivity issues, living alone and each day mulling over into the next as our home life and personal life become one, means that working from home doesn’t suit everybody and if it is here to stay organisations need to ensure that it can meet the needs of its employees and that employee wellbeing is a top priority so that businesses can attract and retain a talented workforce.

Not being physically present with employees means signs of mental health problems can go amiss so communicating its reporting channels will be one way of ensuring businesses look after its employees.

The ‘new normal’ in 2021 and onwards

The new normal in 2021 and for the foreseeable future is likely to look something like this:

• Video calls — I think its safe to say that we have gone into video call overload whether that is on Microsoft Teams or Zoom. In the new normal, instant messaging, whatsapp and phone calls will be the quickest way of speaking to someone that doesn’t require a change of background.
• Managers trust their employees more — managers have developed trust in us to do our work at home. Some people may have experienced managers that were clock watching when in the office and a time when working from home was frowned upon because people thought you were not actually working but watching Netflix in the background. 2020 has shown us that productivity has increased with people working from home.
• Dress code — this has become relaxed, no more buying expensive suits to wear to a board meeting. You have the freedom to dress comfortably while working.
• No more commuting — not having to board a cramped train early in the morning is something which will never be missed and also adds another hour to your day whether that is making a healthier breakfast, going for a run or time to yourself to do nothing all adding to looking after your health and wellbeing.
• Working holiday — many people have taken their work with them to elusive islands or hidden corners of the countryside. As long as you have internet connection then your living options just got so much better. Countries like Mauritius and the Caribbean are already encouraging people to live and work from home on a special visa. This means that once lockdown is lifted 2021 or 2022 is likely to see migration and the rise in second home owners.