In the last couple of years, our entire corporate culture has greatly shifted toward a remote work lifestyle. Working remotely means performing your job duties virtually and outside the office or whatever onsite location your employer uses.
Because working from home is often referred to as teleworking, we’ll use the two terms interchangeably throughout this article. Read on to see how everything we once thought about work has drastically changed and how to thrive in our new work environment.
A brief history of stay-at-home work culture
A decade ago, a remote job typically indicated a customer service or telemarketing gig that paid less than minimum wage. Likewise, a working from home arrangement may have been offered to accommodate families in certain situations. But, outside of these scenarios, teleworking was something that wasn’t even considered a possibility.
Why is that?
Why doing your job from home was rare
It was very rare that remote work was offered for full-time careers. Plus, it always seemed like these flexible, independent positions were specially reserved for wealthy business owners and creative entrepreneurs. But, the main reason why teleworking was so far out of reach was because we didn’t have the technology for it.
Until recently, conversations with colleagues were primarily done in person. The technology for texting or video calling was either inaccessible or wasn’t common practice for communication between managers and employees. You’d need to go to work if you had to ask your boss something, as you couldn’t just shoot them a direct message or call them on Zoom.
In addition to unavailable technology, working from home was also rare because of its poor reputation.
Why it had a bad rap
Employers worried that teleworking would cause a huge drop in productivity. This concern about working from home resulted from the belief that employees would be easily distracted when not under constant supervision. Managers had doubts about their staff being able to schedule their time effectively and prioritize tasks on their own.
But, soon enough, everything about corporate culture would make a drastic shift.
How Covid-19 launched the birth of the remote worker
When the global pandemic hit the United States in 2020, stay-at-home work orders were put into effect as a way to curb the spread of the virus. Thus, a remote employee experience became commonplace across every industry that wasn’t deemed “essential.”
In the wake of the pandemic, companies, big and small, had to adapt to a remote work lifestyle to keep their businesses alive. So, communication and collaboration tools were implemented to keep working possible.
To many employers’ surprise, these technologically advanced tools enabled their staff to get work done from home without cutting productivity.
Telework technology
Advanced technology was the pandemic’s secret weapon in adapting to this cultural shift. With the help of Zoom meetings, whatever negative expectations about working remotely were debunked. Employers realized that their team could join in weekly staff meetings from wherever they were in the world.
What are things like today?
Today, thanks to remote work technology, we’ve reached the point where some companies are thriving with a totally remote workforce.
The booming modern workforce
The growth of remote workers has been exponential, with many employees that span multiple industries and generations currently working from home. Even businesses who haven’t yet gone fully remote are adopting hybrid models, where their staff can work from home a couple of times per week. In turn, the amount of teleworkers has just about doubled from pre-Covid days.
The local coffee shop office
These days, it’s common to see people dressed in sweats and T-shirts sitting at a coffee shop with their laptops. Many employees have adjusted to a remote work lifestyle, that the place they get their usual cappuccino from has become their office space.
But, your local coffee shop doesn’t have to be where you do your work. And this is what the plus side of a virtual office is– your work is simply wherever you are. Employees can choose to get their work done at home, at a friend’s house, at a coworking space, or even on a sunny beach in the Turks and Caicos!
The influential Big Tech companies
As standard for most changes in the corporate world, Big Tech companies have become the leaders in work-style trends. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has directed many of his employees to work from home indefinitely. Likewise, Twitter has rolled out permanent teleworking models.
Why remote work is better than going into the office
Not only does adopting a work-from-home policy save businesses money on office rental spaces, but it also increases the productivity and mood of the entire staff.
Productive employees
Remote employees have reported higher amounts of efficiency when they’re not in the office surrounded by their boss and coworkers. Teleworking employees work an extra 1.4 days per month than individuals who go into the office M-F. This amounts to roughly 17 additional days of work per year.
Happier employees
The stay-at-home orders in 2020 gave employees the freedom to come up with a schedule and location for working that supported their focus habits best. Thus, when a work/life balance is achieved, teleworking staff report increased feelings of satisfaction compared to when they were in the office.
Why the future of corporate culture is remote work
A prediction from Fast Company states that teleworking technology will become the preferred method of communication over face-to-face interactions. Additionally, AI will likely play a big part in effectively adapting a work-from-home model.
According to a survey about remote work by Enterprise Technology Research, approximately 70% of the workforce will be teleworking a minimum of 5 days per month by 2025.
What this trend means for companies
The future of remote working means businesses will either evolve to the increasingly digital corporate scene or die. Companies should leverage the cultural shift taking place by improving their teleworking policies and technologies. So, long-term business plans and strategies that embrace working from home should be implemented sooner rather than later.
It’ll become essential in the near future for companies to create a functional teleworking infrastructure. Whether a workforce is entirely remote or hybrid, coming up with a plan is critical to scaling business alongside the evolving work culture.
Why now is the best time to hire remote staff
Right now, the corporate world is dominated by employees. One in three people says they would turn down a job offer if it required them to be in the office full-time. As a result, workers today have the upper hand in the job market. As teleworking becomes the norm, employees will know they can afford to turn down on-site positions, as they can find a more convenient job where they can work from home.
So, companies must emphasize teleworking options when scanning for new candidates. They’ll need to promote their flexible work culture if they want to attract high-quality employees.
This is why the time for hiring remote employees is now. To stay competitive among other companies promoting remote options, it’s essential that businesses start looking for remote candidates before they’re snagged by someone else.
Your dream team of remote staff
Because remote work culture is here to stay, virtual assistants are more in demand than ever. As you’re already navigating this new corporate lifestyle, finding and managing new, remote talent can be exhausting. But don’t sweat just yet– we’re here to help you!
At Rocket Station, we surround the realty business with top-quality real estate virtual assistants who know the industry and are reliable workers. Contact us today to find a knowledgeable, trained virtual assistant who can help you reach your business goals.
