Fear of Getting Laid Off is Latest Remote Work Issue

While many U.S. workers have enjoyed remote work over the past three years, a top concern heading into 2023 is potential layoffs and the worry about finding a suitable new job, according to a recent CNBC/Momentive Workforce Survey that interviewed more than 10,000 workers across the United States. In particular, the tech industry is seeing a number of layoffs, but the trend is valid across industries and positions.

Interestingly, those who do not work remotely are less worried about both getting laid off and/or finding a new position, noting how strong the labor market generally remains. While about one-quarter of remote U.S. workers believe they could find a new job in just a month if they were laid off, more than 40 percent of in-person workers feel the same way. Ultimately, those who spent their days in the office feel stronger about both their current and future prospects.

Many remote workers have moved to a desired location which may not have as many openings or applicable positions available in the event of layoffs, and they might not be willing to give up the flexibility of working from home. Notably, in-person workers believe they have better career advancement prospects as well.

In general, employee morale is higher than it has been in years, with a full 72 percent stating that they have either “excellent” or “good” morale when it comes to work; this number is even higher for younger employees. Not surprisingly, the biggest layoff-related concern is income and maintaining a standard of living.

As of last November, nearly 16 percent of occupations requiring a college degree allowed for remote work while it was about 5 percent of those that did not require a degree, based on three-month rolling average data.

Does Everyone Want to Work Remotely? Why Employers Might Need to Rethink “Work from Anywhere” Strategies

The remote work trend has been highlighted and spotlighted and for the past two years as more companies had to quickly pivot to remote work during the pandemic. Likewise, stories continue to feature workers’ desire for remote work, flexibility and gig work options.

However, not every worker wants to work remotely and not every business is willing to give up on in-person office work. Several big corporations and banks have been quoted recently on their desire and plans to return to the office, as much as possible and as soon as possible. And it’s not just companies that are interested in returning to the office.

Interestingly, surveys are finding that “go-getters,” or those ambitious employees focused on rising to the top, may not only tolerate in-person work but may actually prefer it. They appreciate the one-to-one, in-person interactions that help to build real relationships as well as the learning, creativity and innovation that take place in the office setting.

In the end, each company will have to determine the best balance of remote and in-person work; however, it is important to remember that not every employee wants to remain at home for the duration. In fact, the best and the brightest might be ready to return to the office.

Is It Time to Return to the Office (Most Workers Say No)?

After nearly a year-and-a-half of remote work for many U.S.-based employees, is it time to return to work in the office?

The answer is an overwhelming “no,” according to a recent survey by Harvard Business School of about 1,500 remote workers. A full 81 percent of those surveyed who worked from home during the pandemic noted that they do not want to go back to the physical office or that they prefer a hybrid option that involves a mixture of remote and in-person work.

According to the survey of remote workers, more than one-quarter would like to remain remote indefinitely while another 60 percent wish to go into the office a couple days a week and work from home the rest of the time with a flexible hybrid schedule. Respondents noted that they appreciate the more flexible working schedules they have enjoyed and would like to continue a similar work environment going forward.

Only 18 percent of the workers surveyed indicated that they want to go back to the office full time following the pandemic – although parents who have kids living at home and married people are more interested in returning to the office than their single counterparts.

Finally, more than half of survey respondents noted that they want to be fully vaccinated before returning to work in the office while nearly three-quarters said they would like to wait until everyone in the office is fully vaccinated. Most also shared that they expect at least six feet of distancing in office spaces as well as mask usage if and when the return to work takes place.

Why Twitter May Be an Outlier When It Comes to Long-Term Remote Working

Many workers and managers took note when Twitter said its employees could remain working from home for as long as they liked – and many expected a tidal wave of other companies to follow suit. Yet, not every company is willing, able or suited to make the transition to regular remote working.

To determine if this arrangement works for a given business, it helps to examine the pros and cons of working from home.

Some of the pros include:

1. Flexibility (and talented employees who appreciate this flexibility): You can draw from a broader global talent pool when you offer greater flexibility – workers can manage dentist appointments, visits from the plumber, workouts and more when they have greater flexibility in setting and maintaining their hours.

2. Time: Along those same lines, employees can save a significant amount of time when they don’t have to worry about commuting (not to mention the environmental benefits) or spending as much time getting ready each morning. This is more time people can dedicate to their jobs and/or personal pursuits.

3. Productivity: Many team members report increased productivity and innovation from working at home. Likewise, the technology tools to support this are better than ever.

4. Loyalty: Employees stay with businesses they deem appreciative of their talents and flexible with time. Companies may have to spend less time hiring and training when their workforce stays longer.

On the other hand, some of the cons are:

1. Training: When you do have new employees, training and onboarding can be more difficult, entail extra steps and take longer.

2. Relationships: Building connections with coworkers often happens while pouring a cup of coffee, walking to meetings or enjoying a meal. All of these interactions can add up to a stronger team, and this is harder to forge when everyone is at home.

3. Work-life balance: The lines between work and home can quickly become blurred when you are working at home. Some people will struggle to balance commitments on one or both ends.

4. ·Endless distractions: Young kids, barking dogs, technology issues, ringing doorbells – the list of potential distractions is endless and some workers will struggle to stay focused in light of all of these.

Ultimately, companies will need to determine how effective their workforce is at home and whether that is sustainable for the long term. In the meantime, focusing on employee dynamics, productivity and morale can bolster greater at-home success.

6 Top Tips for Managing Remote Employees

More than ever, people are working – and managing other people – from home offices. Some companies are finding the transition surprisingly successful and plan to continue it indefinitely while others may struggle with time management and accountability, among other issues.

If you find yourself suddenly managing remote employees, these 6 top tips will help you and your team succeed in this new environment:

1.      Share in both the pains and the gains. Unless your office had many remote employees previously, this may be a big challenge for everyone involved. Issues can include lack of face time, communication challenges, technology issues, and the many distractions of family, pets and home life. Let your team know that you recognize these challenges and that you’re facing them yourself. Likewise, let them know that you see their efforts and celebrate the good that is happening.

2.      Ensure that everyone has the right tools and technology. Just like school districts have had to scrounge to supply tablets and laptops to students in need, many of your employees may need assistance in procuring the technology and tools they need in an at-home environment. These items may include a laptop, policy manuals, a corporate credit card, a headset and a phone, for example. Make sure that security and privacy remain paramount in your offsite work.

3.      Establish clear expectations. Based on the work and the employee, expectations may vary, but it is important to set guidelines from the start so that your team doesn’t drift off every day at 3 p.m. (that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t let them leave a little early on Friday if all work is satisfactorily completed). This can include start and end times, email and voicemail response times, resolving X issues an hour and other specific deadlines. Determine how much of this work needs to be documented and how it should be done.

4.      Stay connected. When you are suddenly and indefinitely away from the office, you may quickly realize how much you miss those water-cooler interactions, the birthday celebrations and the impromptu lunches. With that in mind, make an effort to conduct regular team meetings where everyone has a chance to participate and to see each other’s faces. This can provide connection, communication and a chance to check in. Make sure all team meetings include an agenda. You can also check in with individual employees on a regular basis.

5.      Pay attention to budgets. While remote work can save money in the long run if you give up expensive office space, this work can also be costly in the short term if you are paying for your regular physical space while also supporting everyone’s technology needs at home. Particularly if you are in charge of a budget, pay attention to charges and costs throughout your remote working time.

6.      Communicate, communicate, communicate. Email and texts can easily be misinterpreted and days away from the office may turn into weeks and months. Make sure you are regularly communicating with your team and your managers and letting your group know what is coming and what to expect.

Finally, be patient. Change always takes time. Give yourself and your team the time and space they need to get settled and to begin moving ahead proactively.