Trust and Work From Home: The New Normal [Infographic]

Brian Wallace November 18, 2021

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, working from home has quickly become the new normal for many employees. In 2021, more than 42% of the U.S. Labor Force worked remotely full-time, which is a huge leap from pre-COVID when only 4.1% of employees worked from home. With more people acknowledging the benefits of working from home, there has been increased excitement on what this could mean for the future of the workforce.

Several office-based teams have come to realize that remote work is possible and, in many cases, can help employees enhance their work. 64% of employees have stated that they feel motivated to do their work and 80% say they are still able to meet project deadlines on time while working at home. Employees have also stated that increased job satisfaction and less commute frustrations are some of the positive benefits of working from home. As a result, more than 54% of employees want to stay remote post-COVID. There are benefits that employers experience as well. For example, employers are able to save thousands in costs and expenses, which in turn allows their employees to save more money in personal finances each year.

However, employers are struggling to trust the work ethic of their remote employees. 85% of employers have stated they doubt their leadership pipelines. 69% of managers admitted they were uncomfortable communicating with their employees working from home. Due to these concerns, micromanagement has increased, causing problems for both those in charge and those who work for them. 71% of employees believe their work is negatively impacted by micromanagement while employers believe micromanagement has caused at least a 50% drop in productivity.

Nonetheless, there are ways to build trust between employers and their work-from-home employees, such as motivating employees to be transparent about their needs while at work and encouraging productivity rather than hourly labor. AI programs such as those that can prepare timesheets and plan work schedules can also assist with major management practices to enhance work from home without the need to micromanage.

The new normal has arrived and will continue to affect how people expect to work now and in the future.

Infographic Source: TrackTime24

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