Work as a "thing you do" vs. a "place you go" - and other Pandemic-related statistics

The pandemic has created a massive - and positive - shift in how and where we work.  It is fair to say that work is now more a “thing you do” versus a “place you go.”

Studies have shown that with remote work - and an employer focus more on quality of work done versus hours put in - employees show more initiative, produce better quality work, have better work-life balance, report greater job satisfaction and are less “burned out and stressed.”  

No wonder a 2020 study on remote work statistics showed that 96% of American workers report wanting to have some form of remote work post-pandemic.  

There was a time that employee requests for a “work from home” accommodation were routinely opposed by companies, much to the detriment of employees who could have continued to remain self-supporting, and productive to their employers, if the thinking had been more progressive.   Now 94% of surveyed employers are reporting that company productivity has been the same – or better – since employees started working from home during the pandemic.  That’s not hard to believe, especially when you realize that someone with a typical 45-minute commute will spend nearly a million minutes of his or her life driving to and from work. Add in the unexpected traffic jam or public transit problem, and you are easily likely to exceed the million-minute threshold. Couldn’t we all do a LOT with an extra million minutes?!

Here are a few tips to help you succeed while working remotely:

·        Communication and connectivity with both internal and external stakeholders is a priority.  Get the right technology, learn it and use it so you can continue to provide that “personal touch.”

·        Be careful about commingling personal information on employer-owned devices and equipment.  Learn your company’s rules on remote access to information, and how data will be stored.

·        Employees in cities where home prices are high have been making an exodus to lesser expensive places – and many to the sunshine states. Before you purchase a home 2,000 miles away from your office, make sure your employer has committed (in writing) to your ability to continue working remotely post-pandemic.