The End of Remote Work: Here’s Why & What You Can Do
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, remote work was just an offered benefit to attract talent. In recent years, however, remote work had become the norm. It brought flexibility, reduced commute times, and allowed many to juggle work and personal life more effectively. However, in this post-pandemic world, many employers are ending remote work for various reasons. Here we talk about why this shift is happening and what employees can do to adapt.
The Shift Away from Remote Work
Every employer has reasons for requiring employees to return to the office, but we found these reasons to be the most common. Employers believe that remote work reduced collaboration and innovation, company culture suffered, and it was more difficult to manage performance. Let’s delve deeper.
Need For More Collaboration and Innovation
Many companies argue that in-person interactions foster a more collaborative environment. There’s a belief that spontaneous conversations and face-to-face meetings spark innovation and creativity that you just can’t replicate when working from home. As industries become more competitive, the drive to innovate quickly has led some companies to reconsider their remote work policies.
Cultural and Team Bonding Concerns
Studies have shown that corporate culture and team bonding are a key factor in employee retention and satisfaction, maybe more so than working remotely. Despite virtual meetings and online team-building activities, employers still notice that building a strong culture and sense of belonging among remote workers is limited. This has prompted some organizations to bring their workforce back to the office, at least part-time, to reinforce their company culture and employee relationships.
Performance Management Challenges
Remote work has introduced new challenges in monitoring and managing employee performance. While many thrive in a remote environment and argue that their performance is better, there’s still a perception that it’s harder to ensure accountability and maintain productivity standards. Employers want to see performance and not just on paper. This has led some businesses to rethink remote work, favoring settings where performance can be more easily observed and managed.
What Employees Can Do
We understand that persuading your employer to continue offering remote work will not be easy. You will not only have to convince your manager, but theirs and theirs and so on. The more people to convince, the harder it can be. So, we put together some tips to help you convince your employer to offer remote work.
Hybrid Models
If your employer is demanding that everyone return to the office full-time, try to negotiate a hybrid schedule. While some employers are requiring all employees back in the office full-time, many companies are adopting hybrid models.
Hybrid models are a great option as it can offer a balance between remote work’s flexibility and the office’s collaborative environment. Employees can advocate for hybrid arrangements that allow for part-time office attendance while retaining the option to work from home. This can address employers’ concerns while maintaining some level of flexibility.
Remember, many employers are concerns about collaboration and innovation. A possible solution to this is to require that teams work remotely on the same days. This allows for the team to also be in the office on the same days.
Enhance Communication Skills
We know that employers are concerned about performance management when employees are working remotely. Performance is harder to monitor when you don’t hear or see it. This is why effective communication is even more critical when working remotely.
Employees should focus on improving their communication skills, ensuring they’re clear, concise, and engaging during virtual meetings. Participating and speaking up in meetings is very important. Also, while it may be hard for some to talk about themselves and their achievements, overcommunication about progress can also help mitigate performance management concerns from employers. If employers don’t hear from or about you, they’re going to want to see you.
Communication with co-workers can also help alleviate employers’ concerns about company culture and team bonding. Offer to virtually meet with your team weekly, or more if needed.
Demonstrate Productivity and Accountability
Some employers assume that employees are not working as hard unless they see it. This is why it is important for remote workers to be proactive and show their productivity and accountability. Set clear goals, maintain regular check-ins with supervisors, and use project management tools to track progress. Whatever resources you can find to help you show your productivity, the better. By providing evidence for your contributions, you can help alleviate some of the performance-related concerns associated with remote work.
Invest in Your Workspace
When an employer sees you working off your bed or couch, it does not give off the best impression. For those who continue to work remotely, investing in a dedicated workspace can enhance productivity and change your employer’s impression. The space doesn’t have to be elaborate, just somewhere you can dedicate solely to work.
Continuous Skill Development
Skill development is not only important for employees. Employers want to see their employees develop skills. Participate in as many resources your employer provides. Take advantage of online courses, webinars, and other resources to upgrade your skills. If you do something to enhance your skills outside of the office, let your employer know. Staying on top of industry trends and technological advancements can make you more adaptable and valuable, regardless of your work location.
Participate
Lastly, participate in as much as possible. If your employer has an event in the office the day you are scheduled to work at home, go into the office for the event. It’s one day and not worth the chance of risking your remote work option. The whole idea is to show your employer that you can still be involved and work at home at the same time. They want to know that you want to be part of the company.
Summary
Employers want to see their employees happy. Happy employees equal more productivity and better business. But, they need to see the productivity, collaboration and innovation. You have to convince them that working from home does not take away from the productivity, collaboration, and innovation. If you can convince them that none of these will suffer, by using the tips above, you will have a better argument for remote work.
See Also:
- Changes Your Employer Can Make Without Notice
- Are Employers Required To Offer Benefits To Part-Time Employees?
Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational purposes only. It provides general information and is not intended and should not be construed as professional advice. We do not represent that the information provided is accurate or up-to-date as laws and regulations are always changing. If you have an issue that requires professional help, contact the appropriate professional .Please read the Terms and Conditions for additional information.