25 Jan Capitalizing on the Work from Anywhere Revolution

As the new year begins to unfold, it’s come time to reimagine the post-pandemic workforce. Employees have spent the last ten+ months proving that companies can successfully operate from remote environments. While this shift was made due to Covid-19, it’s clearly the direction in which we were already headed. The pandemic restrictions have simply accelerated the process, and it’s more than likely that the majority of companies will maintain a remote workforce to a large degree. 

Remote workers can be 20 percent to 25 percent more productive than their onsite colleagues.

Plenty of studies have shown that remote workers are often more productive than their in-office counterparts. According to a study conducted by Gallup, remote workers can be 20 percent to 25 percent more productive than their onsite colleagues. And, according to Global Workplace Analytics, companies can save on average around $11,000 per year for every single employee who works from home at least some of the time. With work-from-anywhere being the preferred method for many people, and a more cost-effective strategy for businesses, it’s certain to stick around. In fact, one survey found that 82% of business leaders plan to allow their employees to continue remote-work at least some of the time. 

The question now is, what will the new hybrid workplace look like post-Covid when some people start returning to the office, and some stay remote? This hybrid is actually projected to be highly functional, as it has been for many companies that have already tried it previously. That said, managing remote employees requires a new skillset and a mindset shift to managing outputs, not face time. And, by the way, this is a long overdue mindset shift. 

The standard 9a-5p day is probably going to the wayside, and companies will need to accommodate more flexible hours in addition to locations.

Flexibility will be the name of the game as we have shown that we can productively work from anywhere, anytime, while juggling the demands of home schooling, family care, caring for our pets and more. The standard 9a-5p day is probably going to the wayside, and companies will need to accommodate more flexible hours in addition to locations.  While many employers have gotten a head start on that learning curve, many are still struggling to be effective leaders during this transition. One tool our team loves is the Predictive Index, which effectively facilitates talent optimization and high performing teams. For more on that, check out the Building a Brighter Future with Talent-Centric Solutions blog post. 

Ultimately, one of the key ingredients to managing a team remotely is to maintain company culture. This can be difficult even on-site, so it’s especially difficult when it comes to being remote. Luckily, we’re here to walk you through it so that your team can be stronger than ever. Workplace culture has been proven to be hugely important, so be sure not to underestimate its value. Stay tuned for our next blog to learn more about it! 

Shaara Roman is founder and CEO of The Silverene Group, a culture consultancy that helps companies align their people programs with business goals.