The benefits of remote work are far-reaching and pretty profound. Studies show remote workers (who work outside the office some, but not all, of the time) on average are more productive, more innovative and more engaged. Companies who have remote work policies experience less turnover and are more attractive to employees—and young workers in particular. Organizations are able to spend less on real estate to seat people and the environment benefits from a break in their daily commute.
All positives considered, it’s no surprise that remote work is on the rise. Pervasive technology has made virtual communication simpler and more achievable than ever before. In the future, the mark of an agile organization will be one that can keep up with this shift in how and where work is done (a concept explored in detail in our recent Future of Work report).
Still, several large organizations have insisted that employees return to the office. In 2013, Yahoo and Best Buy reversed their flexible work policies and Hewlett-Packard limited its use. In 2014, Reddit closed two offices, requiring employees to commute to a farther office or find a new job. And just this February, IBM began implementing a “move or leave” program to reunite employees in six strategic locations.
In nearly every case, leadership cited a need for “all hands on deck” and better collaboration in order to improve the business.