Worldwide lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic have forced organizations to find more flexible working arrangements for their employees. As a result, working from home was one of the defining trends for the past four years, followed by a shift towards remote work and hybrid working models. Next year will maintain the growth momentum for remote working, with several trends influencing the current business landscape.
Employees prefer remote working for its obvious benefits. In a 2023 survey by Statista, 67% of the respondents appreciate a flexible schedule, followed by 62% who enjoy choosing their preferred work locations, and 59% enjoying more free time due to not having to commute between the office and their homes .
Non-commuting is advantageous for employers too:
"A typical employer can save about $11,000 per year for every person who works remotely half of the time," according to Kate Lister, President of Global Workplace Analytics.
Employees prefer to work remotely for other benefits in-office working cannot provide: more time with the family, better life/work balance, financial savings (i.e., not having to spend on transportation for commuting), flexible schedules, and the ability to work from anywhere (like going in a vacation with the family while remaining productive at their jobs). Here are the leading ten remote working trends:
Better work-life balance, Mental health, and Wellness
More and more employers will offer their staff positive working environment choices and activities to help reduce severe stress leading to depression and mental health issues. As early as 2018 FlexJobs found that 86% of employees feel that remote work alleviates stress. In addition:
- 52% of the survey respondents said a flexible job would positively impact their health and quality of life;
- 77% said having a flexible job would allow them to be healthier—eat better, exercise more, etc.
For example, Google already provides such benefits to its employees:
- programs to achieve a good work-life balance;
- two work-from-home days every week and four work-from-anywhere weeks per year;
- and employee assistance programs for mental health and mental health apps, etc.
Google is one of many companies incentivizing employees with such perks and benefits. For example, Airbnb allows employees to work from home with flexible hours and support to achieve a harmonious work-life balance.
Companies with a strong culture of wellness and mindfulness are at the forefront of the future of the workplace .
Diversity in Recruitment
Remote working will influence hiring practices globally, as employers can access an unlimited talent pool, regardless of the potential employees' nationality, religion, ethnicity, gender, etc.
Companies will adopt inclusive work policies and revise their hiring practices and onboarding processes to adapt to the new remote working requirements. These new practices will blur the divide between men and women in the workforce, giving all employees equal opportunities for growth, payment, etc.
Remote work will also bring down barriers like location bias and hiring based on gender, ethnicity, and orientation.
Better Perks and Benefits
Besides benefits for work and life balance and mental health, some of the benefits offered by organizations include:
- free lunches, refreshments, and fully stocked micro kitchens;
- fitness facilities with state-of-the-art equipment, and swimming pools or fully paid gym memberships;
- travel stipends;
- health care plans, including medical, vision, dental, life insurance, and disability benefits;
- PTO (Paid-Time-Off) and unlimited vacation days;
- excellent retirement plans, etc.
Rise of Health Insurance Solutions for Remote Workers
Most employees consider employer-sponsored health insurance a must-have benefit. However, it is difficult for organizations to offer health insurance for remote workers if they do not live in the same country or state. Companies offering health insurance for remote workers regardless of where they work and live will rise in numbers in the next years. Solutions are already available from online providers like:
- SafetyWing offers health insurance for global employees, whether they are on a full-time salary or a part-time contract.
- Horizons offers health coverage for employees across major international markets in 180 countries. The comprehensive plans include emergency and in-patient care, preventative and outpatient care, dental, vision, screenings, vaccines, etc.
- Mira healthcare - not health insurance, but "a la carte" solutions for everyday healthcare, including in-person urgent care, virtual primary care, annual bloodwork, full STD panel, virtual mental health, prescription discounts, etc. You can choose plans according to your remote employees' preferences and needs.
International insurers can offer plans for remote workers; you must shop around and compare to give your employees the best healthcare benefits at advantageous prices for your organization.
Increased Cybersecurity
Due to remote working and other factors, Statista predicts that the average spend per employee in the cybersecurity market will reach US$46.54, and the global revenue in the field could total US$162.00bn by the end of the year. By 2028, Statista predicts a market volume for cybersecurity of about US$256.50bn.
Cybersecurity will be a central concern for companies employing remote workers due to a dependence on remote work software that will lead to significant investments in cybersecurity products. In addition, experts predict that cybersecurity will determine the success or failure of remote working solutions in the following decade.
Collaboration Software and Cloud Communication Tools
Remote workers need means to communicate with their employers and co-workers. The collaboration software and communication tools may range from web conferencing solutions like Zoom, Webex, and GoTo Meeting to project management software and beyond. Some popular choices right now include:
- Zoho Projects: a cloud-based project management software helping team members plan projects, track work, and collaborate wherever they are.
- com: helps co-located and remote teams set project timelines and milestones, track progress, manage workload, collaborate across teams and departments, customize the workflow, and automate routine tasks, like email reminders or project approval requests.
- RandomCoffee: a solution to enable employees to connect informally with their colleagues wherever they are. The software allows employers to help remote employees fight isolation and connect with new people, strengthen the corporate culture, and track the effectiveness, progress, and networking programs for both fully remote and hybrid teams.
- Calm Business: offers an extensive collection of mental health and wellness content, tools, and resources anytime to help employers sustain employees' mental health and achieve productivity goals.
Impact on the Economy, Environment, and Society
Remote working in its variety of formats (hybrid, work from home, digital nomads) will have a positive impact on several aspects of our lives:
- enhance employee work-life balance;
- save money for employees and employers alike;
- boost employee engagement and productivity;
- attract and retain employees from the global talent pool;
- reduce telecommuting and, by proxy, fossil fuel dependence and slow global warming;
- alleviate the strain on the transportation infrastructure;
- reduce traffic jams and pollution;
- provide employment opportunities for at-home caregivers, people with disabilities, etc.
- offer disadvantaged populations access to better jobs, etc.
Smart Cities and Novel Urban Planning Programs
With remote working, digital cities will define the future of urban planning. South Korea already has plans to develop ubiquitous cities (U-Cities) that connect residents to any service through a smart device.
IoT technologies like low-power wide-area networks (LPWAN) and 5G cellular networks offer extraordinary opportunities to develop smart cities. For example, in the USA, Boston, Washington DC, and Los Angeles are already ideal hubs for remote workers due to advanced IoT solutions in their central business districts (CBDs).
Statista predicts growth for the smart city infrastructure to more than 100 billion U.S. dollars by 2025.
Smart cities will have several distinctive features focused on technology: cloud computing, 5G, sensors, telecommunication, green buildings, smart utilities (waste and water management), ridesharing or carsharing, city surveillance, cyber security, sustainability, CleanTech, solar technologies, GovTech, smart healthcare, etc.
Generation Z Demands
Gen Zers will demand more from their employers, with particularly high expectations from remote working as they enter the workforce:
- flexible schedules;
- acquire new skills for future jobs;
- work multiple jobs;
- do independent work;
- focus on mental health;
- expect employment stability;
- work as a permanent or noncontract employee;
- expect a salary that ensures a decent quality of life, etc.
Search Engines for Remote Working Spaces
There will be more search engines for remote working spaces, like Book a Space, enabling employees to rent spaces with modern business facilities, amenities, flexible schedules, and payment solutions.
Book a Space is more than a solution for employers and remote workers seeking office space: it also enables property owners to maximize revenues by making their rooms, lobbies, and conference halls available for rent through listing on Book a Space and the integration of the Book a Space engine into their websites.
These are the primary trends shaping the future of remote working in 2024 and the next years. As the sector grows, more organizations will adopt this employment model and the technologies necessary to support it.
