Working from Home to Become the New Normal
While many employees are looking forward to a return to normalcy, working in the office on a full-time basis may remain a thing of the past. The pandemic has forced more companies than ever to adopt remote working measures, but despite this, most companies are not witnessing any reduction in productivity . In fact, many companies are leveraging remote working through saved costs on rent and utilities, cleaning services, food and taxes.
Furthermore, a survey carried out in June revealed that an overwhelming 80% of respondents want a change from working in the office five days a week, with the highest preference wishing to work two to three days at home. Therefore companies seeking to attract and retain top tier talent can no longer avoid offering flexibility as a benefit.
Working from home is not only favoured by many employers and employees, but can also serve to reduce traffic congestion, pollution and perhaps even the cost of living in cities, as the pressure on the housing and rent markets decrease. LinkedIn has reported a 2.8x increase in remote job postings since March 2020, and while some report this a temporary measure, others have begun creating more permanent remote roles, since they have been so successful on a temporary basis.
Below are five leading companies that are making a permanent transition to remote working through a hybrid model of work, whereby only some days are spent in the office. These multinational companies are setting impressive examples for the future of work, which may cause us to reconsider our understanding normalcy in the post-pandemic working world, and may be one of the most appreciated trends from an otherwise cataclysmic global setback.
1. Siemens
German-based Siemens, the largest manufacturing company in Europe, which employs 600 employees in Ireland, has recently announced that its employees can “work from anywhere” for two to three days per week. This decision comes after a global survey of its employees across various locations and will be accompanied by a transformation in leadership style, whereby the focus is on outcomes rather than time spent in the office. Jochen Wallisch, Head of Industrial Relations and Employment Conditions at Siemens, stated that:
“The New Normal Working Model fits seamlessly into our concept for the future of work. We’re using this model to pursue the goal of developing new ways of working together on a mobile, digital basis. The new normal will also strengthen our ability to recruit and retain the best talent for Siemens and to increase diversity on our teams.”
2. Twitter