NewsWire: 12/16/2020
- Fully 54% of employed adults who are able to telework say that they want to continue doing so after the pandemic is over. The transition to working from home has been relatively easy for most of these workers, with more than three-quarters saying they haven’t had issues meeting deadlines or finding space to work. (Pew Research Center)
- NH: Before the pandemic began, only 20% of workers who said that their job could be completed from home actually telecommuted. Now, nine months after lockdowns began, that share has increased to 71%. So how has this grand telecommuting experiment gone? According to the latest Pew poll, it has been a success.
- Most workers have found the transition to remote working relatively easy. 87% say they have the technology they need to do their job at home. 80% say it’s easy to complete their work on time. 77% say they have a proper workspace. And 64% say they feel motivated.
- Of course, some segments of the population have struggled more than others with remote working. 50% of telecommuting parents report difficulty getting work done without interruptions, compared to only 32% of all remote workers. 39% of mothers say it’s hard to balance work and family, compared to 28% of fathers. And 53% of young adults report difficulty staying motivated, compared to 36% of all telecommuters.
- Some analysts have assumed that once the pandemic is over, office life will resume. I disagree. IMO, while remote work isn't perfect, there are too many benefits for it to be abandoned and forgotten. Not commuting saves workers money and valuable time. Many companies have even reported boosts in productivity since going remote. And when these office leases end, I predict a lot of employers will save cash by not renewing. Just look at all the Silicon Valley start-ups that have let their leases expire.
- There are a few downsides to remote working, mainly the inability to meet in person and collaborate. Pew found that 57% of telecommuters report feeling less connected to their coworkers. While Zoom gets the job done, I think we can all agree that meeting in person is more comfortable and natural. Being physically separated is also challenging for new employees who aren’t yet assimilated into a team.
- I think the move back to the office will be slow and partial. Once the pandemic is over, I see workers going into the office one or two days a week. And I also predict offices will downsize to become more of a communal meeting space than a place for individual work. So if you haven't yet transformed your ad-hoc home workspace into a real home office, I would start. (See "Let's Keep Working From Home.")
