Years after the COVID-19 outbreak, companies working remotely are looking to safely bring their employees back into the office. Even so, there are many companies considering permanent remote work models due to perceived benefits.
In a 2021 global survey of 1,500 executives, 83% believed flexible work arrangements would have a lasting and positive impact on society post-pandemic, with 97% being open to employees working remotely.
Some business leaders may still be hesitant about remote work because of challenges in company culture and management. However, addressing both human and technology-related barriers allow for a sustainable and productive digital workplace.
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- Permanent remote work is becoming inevitable, with a significant number of employers accommodating hybrid work arrangements. This includes top companies like Adobe, Coinbase, Dropbox, Meta, and Hubspot.
- Companies working remotely reap many benefits such as increased productivity, cost savings, higher employee morale, reduced turnover, and improved brand positioning.
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5 Companies Embracing Long-Term Flexible Work
Before the pandemic, many companies were hesitant to allow remote work due to concerns about productivity and administration.
Now, according to Microsoft’s Work Trend Index, flexible remote work is inevitable with 66% of employers around the world accommodating hybrid work arrangements—pandemic or not. Among them are five well-known companies that have made the permanent shift:
1. Adobe
Adobe is a multinational computer software company that provides web-based applications and content development products.
Noting that things were never going to return to the way they were, Chief People Officer and Executive Vice President Gloria Chen stated that the future of work at Adobe will be hybrid on their company blog published in June 2021.
Employees will have the flexibility to work from home up to about half the time. Most meetings will be mixed-presence, while in-person gatherings will be purposeful and collaborative.
2. Coinbase
Coinbase is a cryptocurrency exchange platform that is now a remote-first company. This means that employees can opt for permanent remote work, in-person work, or a hybrid arrangement depending on what’s best for them.
Before the pandemic, Coinbase was a “remote by exception” company where employees could work from home once a week. However, according to Director of Employee Experience Daisy Linden, what shifted the company’s perspective on remote work was their ability to maintain or even improve productivity. This has opened opportunities for them to hire top talent around the world.
3. Dropbox
Dropbox is a cloud storage space where you can backup and sync your files across multiple devices. Following the COVID-19 outbreak, it was one of the first companies working remotely across the board, making the permanent shift in 2020.
The new virtual-first approach came after an internal survey that showed remote workers found themselves to be more productive at home. The company’s offices will be converted into flexible coworking spaces called Dropbox Studios. Employees will also be able to choose their own work hours.
4. Meta
Meta (formerly Facebook) is a multinational technology conglomerate of online social media and social networking services such as Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
Predicting that 50% of Facebook could be going remote permanently within the next 5-10 years, Mark Zuckerberg said in a live stream in May 2020 that the company would allow a full-time work-from-home (WFH) setup. Employees could also have their compensation adjusted if they moved to a different location.
Like other companies now working from home permanently, Facebook will also begin to diversify its workforce and offer economic opportunities across the globe. On the other hand, those who want to work in person will be asked to come to the office at least half the time.
5. HubSpot
Hubspot is a cloud-based CRM solution that focuses on inbound marketing, sales, and customer service. While 10% of its employees were already remote workers before the pandemic, the company noted that many people are interested in moving to a fully remote setup in 2020.
Following other companies working remotely, Hubspot decided to offer employees three options:
- @office — Employees come to the office three or more days a week. They have a dedicated office workspace and a work laptop they can bring home.
- @flex — Employees come to the office two or fewer days per week. They’re given an at-home desk setup, while a “hotel desk” will be allocated to them whenever they are in the office.
- @home — Employees work from home for the majority of their time. The company provides a monthly stipend to help set up their home office.
Hubspot’s culture and recruiting approaches have also undergone some changes to ensure that the experience is inclusive for all employees. Among them are new benefits and perks for permanent remote work, leadership and management training, and remote job offerings.
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What Makes Remote Work Successful?
One thing these companies working remotely have in common is an emphasis on listening to their employees. Their allowing remote work is founded on understanding their needs and concerns, and then coming up with solutions to them.
These companies can offer permanent remote work options because they empower employees to focus on their own responsibilities and priorities. Instead of micromanaging employees, team leaders set clear to-do lists as well as objectives and key results (OKRs). Employees are also equipped with digital support structures and tools to accomplish tasks that work best for them.
Successful remote work companies put more importance on employee output than on hours on the clock. With the right remote work management, employees enjoy flexibility and freedom, improving their work-life balance. And, with happier employees comes stronger loyalty and more significant work.
Why Offer Remote Option?
With the pandemic shaking up the workforce, research shows that productivity for remote workers is 47% greater than their office-bound counterparts. Plus, 77% of people who work remotely at least a few times per month show increased productivity. Their performance also resulted in 40% fewer quality defects and 41% lower absenteeism.
Permanent remote work may not be for everyone. Not all people have access to a good home office. Mentorship can be difficult, making people feel more isolated. Meanwhile, on-site work facilitates an office culture that promotes better team collaboration and communication.
That said, companies working remotely reap many benefits from a WFH option. The topmost advantage of a remote option is cost savings. Since remote workers require less overhead costs, businesses gain 21% higher profitability.
Moreover, happier employees mean higher employee morale and better work output. They are also less likely to quit their job, reducing the costs of employee turnover. In some cases, it also positively affects their brand positioning.
How Magic Can Help You Sustain Remote Work As an Option
As the threats of the pandemic slowly diminish, companies are faced with a new challenge in reopening their doors while considering their employees’ welfare, pushing them to reevaluate their work models.
Permanent remote work or hybrid arrangements provide a viable solution to adopt the “new normal” in the landscape of work.
Lighten your load and outsource work to Magic! We provide a flexible remote workforce for businesses of all sizes to easily scale or fill any work gaps. This frees up your internal team, allowing them to better focus and collaborate with one another on more important work.
A virtual personal assistant can take care of administrative work like managing calendars, appointments, and emails. You can also outsource sales tasks like lead generation and prospecting to focus on closing deals. Other outsourcing services we offer include customer support, accounting, and AI services.
Boost efficiency by hiring virtual assistants who can work on your terms. Aside from filling work gaps, Magic can also help build a remote team by handling the hiring process according to your specifications so you can focus on improving your remote work strategies.
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