A consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic will be an accelerated ramp-up of partial and/or full remote workforces after the pandemic has passed
There are advantages and disadvantages to utilizing a remote workforce in lieu of the in-office work experience. Much of traditional management thinking has been that having employees in the office on a daily basis provides significant benefits in terms of
- visibility
- accountability
- collaboration
- teamwork
- socialization
A countervailing view is that much of those in-house activities can be facilitated utilizing software designed to emulate many of the activities that normally would be performed face-to-face in the office. Additionally, there are further offsetting benefits to a remote workforce such as elimination of commuting, reduced employee stress, greater work/life balance, reduced turnover, and improved productivity. It is also important to understand that moving to a remote workforce is not an all- or nothing option. Hybrid business models can be implemented to combine various forms of both in-office and remote work options for employees.
In the end, though, we believe an outcome of the COVID-19 pandemic will be increased appreciation by both employers and employees of the many benefits of remote working.
After gaining experience in expanding, securing, and supporting a remote workforce during the pandemic, we believe organizations will permanently expand their remote workforce programs and options for employees. If a company is fundamentally flawed and suffering from things such as bad management, weak company culture, low morale, or other dysfunctional factors – it is likely that moving to a remote workforce will not help to ameliorate those issues. However, well managed companies that focus on the employee first to ultimately maximize productivity and company performance are in a great position to leverage the benefits of a full or partial remote workforce.
