Current & Future Trends of The Remote Workforce

It's challenging to accurately predict what the future of remote work will entail given the chaos brought on by the Covid 19 pandemic over the past two years and the lingering uncertainty regarding potential variants.

We have, however, seen a glimpse of how remote or distance working may change in the future given the number of people who suddenly had to work from home after the initial Covid outbreak and the various working methods, policies, and behaviors that followed.

A Change In Working Hours

It's not shocking to learn that there are more requests for a four-day workweek given that remote working has already given employees more freedom in how they choose to arrange their schedules.

Both employers and employees are being forced to reconsider how work is accomplished as they become more and more aware of the numerous advantages of new working practices. So much so that it's likely a 4-day work week will become the norm in the not too distant future.

In the short term, for those employers who have already embraced it, the appeal of a 4-day workweek and the option to work remotely could end up serving as an important recruiting tool.

A Change in Corporate Structure

The increased use of remote work over the past few years has already started to change how businesses are structured. Many companies have already reduced the size of their actual offices, and future changes to organizational structures are only expected to rise.

Interestingly, such changes are less shocking when you consider the numerous different job roles in a typical office and how they benefit from remote work. For those who work in development teams, for instance, a quieter environment made possible by distance working can help them develop a better coding mindset, which can greatly increase their productivity.

Similar to this, creative teams need an environment that fosters collaboration when they must work with their teams to brainstorm ideas, even though they can benefit from quieter times when considering and developing strategies.

Businesses with diverse team compositions will want to be able to meet a range of needs. This includes accommodating those who favor hybrid working arrangements as well as those who want to work entirely remotely. This has consequently resulted in the development of the "hub and spoke" business model, which is expected to continue expanding.

A Variety of Location Options

The potential locations from which remote workers can conduct their business are also expected to expand as a result of these changes in company structure.

The most common place for remote workers to work from right now is still at home. However, other forms of employment, such as flexible workspaces, are becoming more popular. Therefore, as demand for large physical office spaces declines, the development of flexible workspaces like those described below is expected to continue.

• Serviced Offices Serviced offices are almost like a traditional office, are enclosed offices or suites in a larger serviced office building that companies can rent out on a cost-per-desk basis rather than a flat rate. Usually, the area is outfitted and prepared for use. The operator is in charge of all management, cleaning, and maintenance.

• Coworking Offices A coworking office is another well-liked variant. Here, employees from various companies can work together in a shared, open environment. People must pay a membership fee each month in order to rent the space. This will involve using tools, office amenities, and other resources.

Better Technology for Remote Work

Everything from smartphones and tablets to high-speed internet, emails, and video conferencing software is available today. Setting up a workstation and working remotely have become much simpler as a result of the many advancements in recent years.

The next wave of innovations, however, will likely make remote working trends even more pervasive and simpler to manage in the workplace.