Maximizing the potential of remote and hybrid work setups

HYBRID WORK is here to stay.

Despite tracing its existence back to the pre-pandemic days, remote work broke into the mainstream with the outbreak of COVID-19. The pandemic accelerated changes that were already disrupting industries like digitization and asynchronous and virtual collaboration as more people began to enjoy their benefits. What this meant for society was an entirely new plethora of questions as to how the future of work would look like.

In an article published by the World Economic Forum and Quartz, Adam Ozimek, a labor economist at the freelancing platform Upwork, predicts that the next phase of remote work has the potential to transform economies, as more companies revise their policies to accommodate employees who have permanently shifted to working remotely, and more workers move to places they’ve always wanted to live but couldn’t.

Mr. Ozimek’s outlook is based on Upwork’s research on remote work since the start of the pandemic, and he sees that remote-first startups will figure out new ways of working asynchronously, making fullyremote work more manageable than the version we use today. Economic geography, in this case, will shift in big ways, with workers free to live wherever they want to — from hometowns to ski towns — instead of wherever they work.

“[Remote work] is more than just about allowing two people to work together remotely — it’s going to have implications for all sorts of changes at the firm level. We’re in the early stages,” he said.

THE BENEFITS OF REMOTE AND HYBRID WORK

Mr. Ozimek continued to enumerate the changes he predicts would come as a result of remote work. Companies, for instance, now have the option of utilizing freelancing platforms where employers can view everyone’s past work, judge and hire freelancers based on the ratings previous clients have given them. From the freelancer’s perspective, they now have the ability to connect with clients all over the world and apply for jobs they never would have had the opportunity otherwise.

“These platforms already existed, but comfort with remote work will help to unlock their potential,” Mr. Ozimek said.

Analysis from Boston Consulting Group further shows that remote work can boost productivity by up to 40%, reduce absenteeism and turnover, as well as reduce potential costs in real estate and resource usage. But from there, the global consulting firm also recommended three ways to properly create a hybrid work environment tailored for longterm value creation.

First is for companies to recognize the disparity among various fields of work and level the playing field for employees that cannot function on a remote work setup, or for employees that have obstacles that hinder their performance in such an environment.

“As more employees return to the physical workplace, the playing field may tilt even more sharply in favor of those who can return. If people must continue to work entirely from home, those whose homes lack adequate workspaces will be at a disadvantage. Employers can actively relevel the playing field, at both the corporate level and the team level, to ensure that all employees can succeed,” BCG said.

“At the corporate level, no single policy or program is likely to fit all circumstances and combinations of remote and onsite work,” the firm added.

To approach the disparity, employers must experiment and find a solution, or even a range of solutions, that can be better-suited to their particular needs and concerns. Leaders can help in this sense, as they can be better equipped to help employees navigate the shift toward remote work. This is BCG’s second recommendation.

“Historically, face-to-face team meetings or one-on-one coaching sessions have been the go-to tool of frontline leaders. It’s how they get to know and motivate their employees, monitor engagement in real time, and offer employees strategic context and meaning. While many leaders may naturally adjust to virtual settings, others will benefit from training and new daily routines that help them build their skills in online communication, coaching, engagement, and management of remote and hybrid teams,” the firm said.

Even before COVID-19, there was a growing acceptance on the importance of fields like emotional intelligence and community-building in terms of training leaders. Such qualities are even more important postpandemic. BCG research, which surveyed employees in Germany, India, and the US, found that employees satisfied with social connectivity at work are on average 2.5 times as likely to say that their productivity is at least as high now as it was before the pandemic.

Finally, BCG recommends companies to continue showing the levels of compassion expressed during the heights of the pandemic.

“In the early days of the pandemic, many employers adopted or promoted programs to support mental health, physical health, social connectivity, collaboration tools, and family care. Now is not the time to let up on this care and compassion,” BCG said.

“The potential costs of remote work — especially burnout — are as real as the benefits. Employers must continue to develop programs and policies that create an empathetic culture centered on employee wellness.” —