Leading Trends in the Future of Remote Work

2 months ago by Big H • 3 min read

Findings out of the USA point to the road ahead

According to research from Gartner, 30 percent of employees were working remotely before the pandemic. 2020 was a decisive year for remote work, as the percentage of people working from home increased from 30 percent to 48 percent.

In 2021, businesses started to reopen, and some employers wanted to have their workers back in their facilities, but most of them didn’t want to return to that old reality. This was just the tip of the iceberg. In this article, we will show you some of those key trends we expect to see in the future of remote work.

Remote Work to Be Intensified

In the future of work, we expect a mass adaptation of the work from home trend. A report from Pew Research Survey Center revealed that 54 percent of employees would prefer to continue working remotely even after the pandemic.

Some companies won’t be able to have all their employees work entirely remotely. However, most of them will use a hybrid model where employees will work from home for at least a few days.

A Mckinsey report estimates that 38 percent of employers will allow employees to partially work from home. This amount includes at least two days of remote labor. Gallup, on the other hand, Gallup discovered that six out of ten managers will permit more remote work after the pandemic.

More Attention to Employees’ Job Satisfaction

The pandemic had a huge impact on everyone’s lives. While some people were laid off from their previous jobs, others were providing care for their loved ones and felt completely exhausted during the pandemic. This led to the beginning of a massive resignation movement.

People left their jobs for various reasons, including a low salary, a sense of burnout, a desire for stability and wellness. More than 4 million workers quit their jobs in 2021, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

This situation has left companies with a tough challenge to improve their turnover rate. While an average turnover rate is good because it provides innovative ideas and solutions, we’re talking about a massive number of resignation letters.

This concern will lead businesses to incorporate better strategies to retain talent. As a result, employees will prioritize work-life balance, higher pay, and other benefits. However, not all employers can afford higher wages, but they can certainly offer fewer working hours for the same pay, as some businesses have started doing.

Increased Use of Videoconferencing

The use of videoconferencing became prominent in 2020. Even though it was already a trend before the pandemic, there was a drastic increase in these tools during the lockdown. Zoom meetings went from 10,000 daily participants to 300 million in April 2020.  Considering the fact that remote work is not going anywhere, the use of videoconferencing tools will increase.

Gig Work Becomes More Popular

Employers are allocating resources for HR efforts due to a turnover crisis. This means they're investing millions of dollars in the hiring process. This has increased the demand for gig workers.

Hiring a software developer for a particular project and letting them go when the assignment is complete is cheaper than hiring an in-house programmer. Companies can eventually decide who stays and who doesn’t.

Remote Interviews Become More Popular

Online interview requests have become more popular due to the pandemic. COVID-19 concerns have made companies revaluate their hiring process to protect their employees and potential candidates. That’s why remote interviews seem to be the best solution. In the future of remote work, we must expect an increase in the use of remote interviews.

Cyber Security Will Be a Top Priority

There was a significant increase in cyber security concerns during the pandemic. Most companies were not entirely prepared for a remote working system, neither did their workers. According to a Cisco report, 85 percent of surveyees believe that implementing cyber security measures is more relevant now than before the pandemic. Companies are expecting to invest more in data protection in the upcoming years.

In Summary

The remote working trend does not appear to be going away soon. Employees would prefer to continue working remotely, entirely or partially. The use of videoconferencing tools, remote HR operations, and cyber security measures will rise due to this trend. Companies must develop a new system that is resilient, efficient, results-driven, and considers employee well-being.

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Author Bio

María Elena González is a writer at Career Karma, where she covers higher education, coding bootcamps, and technology. After earning her bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism from Universidad del Zulia, María started working as a writer, journalist, video editor, and digital marketer. Working primarily in tech-related niches, she also contributed financial articles to Entrepreneur. Some of the companies she has worked for include TechAccute, Trip University, and Crediplex.