Are Remote Workforces Here to Stay?
COVID-19 helped increase the popularity of remote work. Now that more restrictions are being lifted, how will remote and hybrid work continue to evolve? Regroup takes a look at the future of remote work.
Since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, many companies have turned to remote working for their employees in the name of safety. As more regions are easing and lifting restrictions, it’s becoming increasingly clear that working remotely is a reality that is here to stay.
The National Bureau of Economic Research reports that fewer than 30% of workers would be willing to return to working in an office environment as they did prior to the pandemic. They also estimate that over 20% of all labor in the United States will permanently be a working from home arrangement, moving forward. Though this new dynamic can create some initial challenges for management, the overall impact is quite positive.
According to a survey from Forbes, 55% of employees report that their productivity increased while working remotely. 30% say their ability to collaborate improved and 86% engaged in professional development during the pandemic.
There are also significant cost savings associated with a fully remote workforce. Investments in computing equipment, facility insurance, utilities and on-site security can be greatly reduced when the majority of the workforce is dispersed.
It is also suggested that remote workers are simply happier than those in an office environment. The reasons include less stress, more focus and a better work-life balance.
All of these revelations help underscore the importance of keeping remote and hybrid workforces permanent parts of an employment culture.
Since 2006, Regroup Mass Notification has been a fully distributed workplace. And, as previously discussed, we believe this strategy will only gain popularity as time goes on. We also recognize that certain issues can arise that employers should recognize and be prepared to address in order to keep the workforce productive and happy.
Mass notification, as part of an overall corporate communication strategy, can provide an outstanding complement to keeping the lines of communication open with employees. Regroup’s platform offers a number of useful features and tools that can help you keep remote workers in close contact and help you to better support their efforts throughout the work day.
Regroup clients find our Mobile App particularly useful for traveling employees (such as home health care professionals, insurance agents and site managers). Free with every Regroup account, the Mobile App helps you get important information out instantly and enables two-way communication between you and your workforce.
Our Desktop Alerts have also become increasingly popular with dispersed workforces. Since they produce an on-screen popup and can be used with rich media, they have the power to grab attention quickly and effectively.
Regroup also integrates with many popular business platforms, such as Microsoft Active Directory. Through our open API, Regroup can easily complement your existing workplace technology stack, enabling better management of users, databases, communication channels and more.
And, since Regroup delivers to email, push notifications, text/SMS, mobile app, desktop alerts, voicemail, corporate intranets and more, it is a total communication for organizations that work remotely or in hybrid environments.
Embracing a remote workplace requires thought and planning. But, the results can include higher productivity, increased employee satisfaction, reduced costs and an efficient, professional team. It’s clear that remote work is here to stay and that the right approach to communication ensures success for organizations of all sizes.
Your Next Steps
If your organization is considering a mass notification system for enterprise-wide communications, it’s worth exploring the type of integrations and optional features available. We invite you to schedule a no-hassle demonstration of Regroup Mass Notification to learn more about our platform and the additional functionality available for customizing Regroup to your needs and budget.