Remote Work Trends 2024

The Move to WFH 2024

The global pandemic of 2020 changed the world. Most people had never experienced a quarantine before, and companies and workers alike were unprepared to handle the logistics of a work-from-home model. They were even more unprepared for the repercussions that would affect the culture of office work in the months and years to come.

Now, the world is beginning to wonder if the nature of working has changed forever. Both employees and companies have noticed significant impacts of a WFH structure, and many of these impacts are beneficial. Businesses are deciding whether the remote work structure they set in place during the pandemic might actually be good for their offices if they’re implemented long-term. Employers, employees, and researchers all have unique and valuable insights to add to the WFH discussion.

Remote Work is Here to Stay

It is predicted that, by the end of this year, 25% of all professional jobs will become remote, and the numbers are only expected to increase into 2024. Work-from-home rates have more than tripled since before the pandemic from 4% to 15%. 

While trends change rapidly, there are still many companies who are reluctant to move to a work-from-home structure. But experts say that this reluctance to change and push for pre-pandemic, in-person work schedules is not realistic or beneficial to employees. The world shifted during the pandemic, and while many things are back to normal, there are aspects of our lives that have been changed forever. 

Why Do People Want to Work Remotely?

The driving force behind the WFH shift comes from employees. Although remote work was an adjustment when it first began, employees have adjusted to the new structure, and they overwhelmingly report that working from home has more benefits than drawbacks. Benefits of WFH schedules for employees include the following and more: 

• A better work-life balance. The pandemic was enlightening for workers and employers, showing that, in general, people’s work-life balance could be improved. Working in an office five days a week can lead to burnout, making employees feel like the majority of their lives are spent at work. 
• Increased flexibility. Workers enjoy being able to walk their dogs during the day, quickly sign off for appointments, and make lunch in their own kitchens. Working from home also eliminates the time workers usually spend sitting in traffic, which frees up several hours a week. 
• Heightened productivity. Employees feel more productive when working remotely, which could be attributed to better focus, decreased anxiety, the ability to set their own schedules, and many other reasons.
• Improved mental health. Since the pandemic, job burnout has been at an all-time high. In a survey done by the American Psychological Association, 79% of employees experienced stress related to their work. Many employees report that working from home decreases their stress and helps them to feel more mentally balanced. 

Benefits of Remote Work for Companies

While many companies are still hanging on to the idea of being in-person five days a week, it’s becoming more apparent that remote work benefits businesses just as much as it benefits employees. Here are some ways WFH schedules benefit companies:

• Decreased overhead fees. Without the costs of having employees in the office all day every day, companies save on energy costs. 
• Higher productivity. Businesses also found that when workers went remote, their businesses saw increased profits. When employees experience reduced stress, productivity becomes less of a burden. If you find team members are struggling to stay productive at home, support them by sharing these tips!
• Environmental benefits. When employees don’t commute, they release less carbon into the atmosphere. There’s also less waste that comes when employees aren’t bringing single-use plastic bottles, cans, plastic bags, and food containers. Again, energy use is also decreased. 
• Happier and healthier employees. With employees reporting decreased stress from work and overall improved mental health, it makes sense that many employers are looking for ways to support remote work. By taking requests to work from home seriously, employers show that they care about the health, wellness, and happiness of their team members. 

Drawbacks of Working Remotely

As we’ve all seen throughout the past few years, even though remote work has many benefits, it also has its negative aspects. Some drawbacks of working remotely include:

• Less connection. A poll from Buffer showed that 52% of the workers surveyed felt less connected with their coworkers and office life while working from home. As we saw with the pandemic, working from home can lead to increased feelings of isolation, especially for employees who live alone.
• More meetings. When you can’t just pop over to a team member’s desk to ask a question or hash out an issue, you have to schedule more meetings to stay on track with projects. This means those little interruptions throughout the workday also last a bit longer. 
• Difficulty moving up. In the same Buffer survey, the majority of workers felt that remote work made it more difficult to progress professionally. This can be especially true for entry-level or new workers who might lose valuable 1:1 time with team members and supervisors. When workers are isolated, it’s more difficult to learn from coworkers, which makes advancement difficult. 

How to Support Remote Workers

In order to make sure your remote workers have the accommodations and support, they need to feel empowered and be successful. Here are some helpful implementations to keep up your team’s morale and productivity:

• Flexible hours. When working outside the office, employees enjoy the ability to pick up their kids from practice, make coffee, go for a walk, and do other things that strict office hours don’t typically allow. Giving flexible hours doesn’t mean workers can work whenever or however long they want, it just means allowing for those small interruptions and breaks during the day. Workers tend to feel more productive at home, so you don't need to worry that flexibility will decrease the amount of work that gets done. It’s just another way to help alleviate stress.
• No-meeting days. Working remotely requires more meetings, which means more interruptions throughout the workday. It can be helpful to schedule set days without meetings so that your team can have heads-down time to work without interruption.
• 4DWW. The idea of the 4-Day Work Week is new to many people, but those who have implemented it have experienced positive results. The Buffer team, for example, implemented a 4DWW in 2020, and they have no plans of going back. 91% of their team reported that they’re actually more productive in four days than they were in five. If you’re considering a WFH format or want to improve the WFH system you already have, a 4DWW might be a great option to talk about. 
• Invest in digital structure. To move to a remote work system, your team needs the tools to do it. This means high-quality software, hardware, and network connection so that they can work without issues. Investing in digital structure now means smoother work days in the future. 
• Try a Hybrid Schedule. For your team, a hybrid schedule may be the way to go. It’s the best of both worlds: you and your team enjoy the benefits of working from home, but weekly in-person time with your team members can prevent the feeling of isolation. It gives you the chance to meet and talk in person so that your WFH days can be no-meeting days. 

WFH Desk Setup Ideas for Your Team

You work hard to make sure your office is set up well for your team’s comfort and productivity, and their WFH setup should be no different. Read here for tips, tricks, and WFH desk setup ideas for your team. 

Corporate WFH Gifts

Show appreciation and connect with your remote team with custom corporate gift boxes. At Merchology, we’ve carefully curated a wide variety of MerchBoxes for different events and occasions! We’ll add your logo to name-brand apparel and gifts we’ve already put together—we can even ship right to your team members’ doors! Show your remote team members you’re thinking of them and appreciate everything they do for your company!

Contact Us at Merchology!