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Because of the pandemic, working from home has become the new normal for many people and employees. In 2021, more than 42% of the U.S. employees worked remotely full-time (pre-COVID only 4.1% of employees worked from home).
So these days more people know the benefits of working from home. There is great excitement for the future of the workforce.
Several office-based teams have realized that remote work is possible and, in many cases, can help employees enhance their work.
64% of employees say that they feel motivated to do their work and 80% say they can meet project deadlines on time while working at home.
Employees have also stated that increased job satisfaction and fewer commute frustrations are some of the positive benefits of working from home.
More than 54% of employees want to stay remote post-COVID. There are benefits that employers experience as well. For example, employers can save thousands in costs and expenses, which in turn allows their employees to save more money on personal finances each year.
But, employers are struggling to trust the work ethic of their remote employees.
85% of employers say they doubt their leadership pipelines. 69% of managers admitted they were uncomfortable communicating with their employees working from home.
Because of these concerns, micromanagement has increased, causing problems for employees and employers.
71% of employees believe their work is negatively impacted by micromanagement while employers believe micromanagement has caused at least a 50% drop in productivity.
But there are ways to build trust between employers and their work-from-home employees, such as motivating employees to be transparent about their needs while at work and encouraging productivity rather than hourly labor.
AI programs such as those that can prepare timesheets and plan work schedules can also assist with major management practices to enhance work from home without the need to micromanage.
The new normal has arrived and will continue to affect how people expect to work now and in the future.