The Covid 19 pandemic evolved many trends in the HR industry including remote work. Pre the pandemic, many companies used to offer working from home as a perk but it has now become a norm for people to work in the comfort of their homes. According to a survey by Enterprise Technology Research, in 2021 the percentage of employees working permanently from home doubled. It has been estimated that by 2025, 70% of the workforce will work remotely at least five days a month. The Gartner CFO survey also revealed that 74% of companies plan to permanently shift employees to remote work post-Covid 19 pandemic.

The shift from on-site to remote work will be a change of scenery for employees as organizations will focus more on the work done rather than hours worked. This will be achieved by the use of tools and apps (Timely, Time Doctor and TransparentBusiness) created to manage remote employee performance. However, working from home is challenging and requires more engagement. Employees need to put in extra effort to maximize their engagement virtually. Taking part in virtual activities like virtual events and online meetings may be a great start to keep the enthusiasm high.

While a lot is changing in business, management also needs to keep up. It is without a doubt that remote work is changing performance management. It has become difficult to highlight professional achievements. For example, in a setting where employees collaborate often through emails, effective participation is harder for workers to convey as it is for employers to identify. To combat this, it is necessary to create a new job position like Director of remote work to oversee production and collaboration while ensuring operational efficiencies. Furthermore, annual performance reviews can be changed to ongoing assessments as continuous feedback is more constructive.

The future of remote work will gradually make physical office space unnecessary. It would be wise for your company to start planning for the forthcoming changes. TransparentBusiness predicts that office space will become a thing of the past. Currently, many companies are reducing their office space to combine remote and on-site work, giving rise to a hybrid work model.  Although remote work requires less office space, there are several concerns around it. The safety of workers, data and equipment are at risk and companies need to think more strategically about cybersecurity investments. Cisco's Future of Secure Remote work Report stated that 85% of the respondents established that cybersecurity is now more highly crucial than before the pandemic.

While 2021 seemed to be challenging, it has also been a learning curve. Embracing hardships encountered throughout the year should help us rejoice in our triumphs and gather the needed strength to face the new year boldly. Being reluctant to change is not a good recipe for success especially in these uncertain times, we ought to strike while the iron is still hot.