The Latest Research about Remote Work
A roundup of the latest remote work and conscious leadership news and insights
Companies around the globe continue the swift adoption of more permanent flexible work options for their teams. This week Facebook announced that not only will they let most employees work remotely permanently, they estimated 50% of their team will be remote in the next 5-10 years. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg noted that he, like many CEOs, had been concerned productivity would nosedive if employees worked from home. Instead, he noted, “It just hasn’t. We are at least as productive as we were before, and some people report being even more productive.” The social media company will prioritize hiring remotely as part of its new plan to provide more flexible work options.
It’s great news for those who desire to work for technology companies, but could find it challenging to live in high cost of living areas such as Silicon Valley. Zuckerberg noted that employees who do not live in the area will be paid salaries in accordance with the region where they live.
This is one policy Facebook and others should reconsider. Look at the market value of the job the employee is doing, not where they live. Yes, if the employee is required to live in a high cost of living area, they should be compensated for that location-specific position. But what it really comes down to is compensating based on their abilities and the value they bring. As remote work continues to expand, cost of living in many places may begin to drop as the need to be location-specific for a job diminishes.
There will be some bumps along the way as companies figure out how to best hire, lead, and grow their remote teams. But the trend is moving in the right direction.
Here is some of the remote work/conscious leadership content I found interesting this week:
Pipefy released its “Pulse of Remote Work” survey to assess remote work views pre and post pandemic.
Key insight for me: Pipefy was careful to examine the views of new remote workers (i.e., those who hadn’t been working from home before the pandemic struck). The study revealed new remote workers are struggling to adapt. It’s a great opportunity to work with a coach to help teams make the adjustment and truly thrive in a remote setting.
Buffer also released their latest study on the state of remote work.
Key insight for me: The Buffer study focused primarily on those who already work remote. Their study found 98% of those who work from home desire to do so for the rest of their career.
Key insight for me: “Strong leadership now calls for visibility, transparency and empathy.” A strong reminder of how important conscious leadership is in building a powerful team.
The Wall Street Journal published this excellent piece from a 22-year remote work veteran.
Key insight for me: Let go of the 8-hour day. If you’re working in an office, most of your day is filled with meetings. Without colleague interruptions or long meetings, you can be more productive in 5 hours than in 8 hours in an office.
Work happy. Live happy. BE happy.
Meredith
Are you ready to increase your conscious leadership? Want to talk about building your remote team? Send me a note and let’s talk about achieving your goals.
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