Tech Companies and The Rise of Remote Work
2020-07-22
Today’s companies have the opportunity to build the future we want to work in. This a future with a calmer, more balanced, and more fulfilling way to work and live. This is a future with remote work.
Technology allows us to work from wherever we want. We can log on to computers from a home office or coffee shop anywhere in the world, as long as we have an internet connection. And, despite some resistance to a new mode of work where teams are distributed, more companies are opting out of a traditional central office and building remote teams.
Now that teams have advanced tools like team communication apps, video chat, and project management software, team members are able to work together regardless of their location. As a result, companies can tap into talent pools around the world and employees can work from wherever they desire without having to relocate to expensive metropolitan areas.
Although remote work offers many advantages, some argue that nothing can replace working together face to face. While we recognize that in person interactions are important – perhaps essential for building friendship and comradery – we believe that the future of work is remote.
Remote work has only recently emerged as a viable option for growing companies. But in that short time, more and more companies are opting to take advantage. Why are we seeing such a rise in remote work?
Technology makes remote work possible
Remote work simply wasn’t possible before. In order to work together and collaborate, workers had to exist side-by-side in person. This was true on a farm, in factories, and even in more modernized standard offices.
Now, technological innovation and globalization enables citizens across the world to acquire in-demand skills and work anywhere. Not only do people have access to education through the rise of online learning, they can also connect with others virtually once they’re in the workplace. This means someone from Nairobi can have a collaborator in New York City.
Specific tools meet remote needs
As technology has gotten better, it’s also evolved to specifically meet the needs of remote workers. Innovation in the space, particularly in cloud infrastructure, has led to major advancements in communication, finance, project management, and much more.
Why teams are turning to remote work
Technological innovation has made remote work possible, but that doesn’t explain why it’s attractive to employers across the globe. Remote work is more than just a future goal. Companies and individuals are already taking advantage of the opportunities. In 2017, the number of remote workers had more than doubled from a decade earlier, according to GWA and FlexJobs.The report also states that in 2017, 40% more U.S. employers offered flexible workplace options than they did in 2010.
The downsides of the modern workplace coupled with difficulties finding top talent have made remote work enticing to both employers and their teams.
In 2019, Buffer found that 99% of existing remote workers would like to work remotely, at least some of the time, in their careers. Many cited a flexible schedule (40%) as the biggest benefit to remote work, followed by the ability to work from any location (30%).
But going remote offers more than an escape from modern workplace challenges– it has become a competitive advantage. Remote teams are often happier, healthier, and more productive. Because of the need for deliberate communication, these teams are often more in sync than those that work in a traditional office.
Remote work is no longer an alternative. For many companies, it’s the first choice.
One of the biggest reasons why remote work has become so attractive is because of the inherent downsides of the in-person workplace. Open work spaces are often distracting, preventing workers from engaging in high priority activities. High costs of living in tech hubs result in long commutes, which results in diminished work-life balance.