Low Productivity or Filling Office Space?

Remote work became the new normal when the COVID pandemic began, and many business executives were concerned with productivity. Fast forward a couple of years to today 2023 and things have mostly gone back to normal. However, businesses executives have stated that remote work isn't working and are calling people back to the office because productivity is down. But where is this data coming from? According to the US Labor Statistics, people are working more hours post-pandemic than the previous 15 years leading up to it. This begs the question: is productivity low or are large corporations stuck in a lease agreement for office space that is sitting empty? Are they calling people back to the office to justify the office space that they paid for?

Remote work has been a hot topic for large corporations since the COVID pandemic began. Many businesses that were hesitant to allow their employees to work remotely were forced to shift to a remote work model overnight. Some executives were skeptical about productivity and concerned that remote workers would slack off without direct supervision. However, studies have shown that remote workers are more productive than office workers. In a recent survey conducted by FlexJobs, work from home employees reported fewer interruptions, less stress, and better work-life balance. People who work from home are also more likely to be satisfied with their job and stay with their current employer longer.

The largest concern for businesses executives is less visibility over their employees' workday and their work ethic. Managers want to see the employees working hard and not just sitting on the couch watching TV or lounging around. However, remote work is not a new concept. It was a trend even before the pandemic, and many companies have already gone through the process of establishing policies and procedures for remote work. Most of the time, managers who have not managed remote teams before struggle with performance monitoring and adjusting their management style. However, with the right systems in place and policies to support remote work, productivity can be just as high, if not higher than in-office employees.

Many businesses claim that remote work is hurting collaboration and innovation. They argue that remote workers struggle with communication and team building, leading to poor collaboration. However, studies show that remote workers communicate more efficiently and effectively than teams working in an office environment. Virtual meetings can save time, eliminate travel, and allow people from different locations to participate. Innovations and advancements in technology have made collaboration possible despite the distance, and there are plenty of tools available to make virtual collaboration easy and effective.

So where do we stand on the productivity issue? It is hard to deny that productivity has been impacted by the pandemic. Most employees are working from home, and we are still dealing with the psychological impact of the pandemic. However, to say that remote work is less productive than in-person work is not true. Whether productivity is high or low depends on several factors, such as work environment, job design, and employee skills and knowledge. Rather than forcing employees to come back to the office, executives should be focusing on developing policies and strategies to support their remote teams. Advancements in collaboration technology and remote work policies can help them achieve their goals, improve job satisfaction, and increase employee retention. It's time to embrace the new way of work and shift our focus from presence to performance.