Working remotely is just one of the ways our professional lives have changed as a result of the pandemic. In the past five years, the number of remote workers in the US has jumped by 44%. Over the past 12 years, that number is an astounding 159%. And it shows no sign of slowing down. According to a study by career site, Ladders, 25% of all professional jobs in North America will be remote by the end of 2022.
Large tech giant AirBnB even recently implemented a permanent work from anywhere policy. Their jobs page was visited 800,000 times in the days following the announcement. Proving that the popularity of remote work is still very high on applicants’ priorities lists.
Remote Workers Are More Productive
So, what’s behind this continued growth in remote work? After 2020, workers and businesses alike saw that work could be done just as well from a remote location as from a traditional office. In fact, remote workers surveyed said they were as productive or more productive working remotely, compared to when they were in the office full-time. Without the noise and distractions of an office environment, workers are able to structure their work day to their strengths. Remote workers also save time and money by not needing to commute and have an overall better work-life balance.
Businesses Need to Adapt
When you think of remote work, you may only be thinking of the benefits on the worker’s side, but businesses are experiencing the benefits of allowing work-from-anywhere talent.
Recent numbers are quite telling:
- 16% of companies globally are now fully-remote
- Employers save an average of $11,000 per half-time remote employee
- By 2028, 73% of all departments are expected to have remote workers
- Companies that allow remote work see an average increase of $2,000 in profit per remote worker
If these trends continue, some employees could work from an office, some from home, and some from wherever they want. Companies must rethink their workplace culture to be more inclusive of remote and hybrid work. With workers all around the country or even the world, managers will face new challenges and shouldn’t overlook the complexity involved with onboarding, overseeing, and paying flexible workers.
Planning to hire more remote workers this year? AllWork can help you onboard and pay your flexible workforce. We offer fast, easy, and compliant payment options. Get in touch at info@allworknow.com to learn more and see a demo of our platform here.
