Think about your last day working in the office. Now imagine being able to choose whether to repeat it or stay comfortably at home. According to a new study, this simple choice could make the difference between a satisfied employee and one ready to seek new opportunities. Remote work has become the superhero we didn't know we wanted in the corporate world, and it promises to save both employee happiness and business productivity.
The numbers speak clearly: remote working wins
A recent report entitled “Return-to-Office Mandates and the Future of Work”, published by Great Place to Work, provided eye-opening data on remote working. The results are surprising: Workers who can choose where they work are 27% more likely to enjoy their work, 60% less likely to leave the company, and 67% more likely to be more engaged.
Remote working isn't just about convenience or efficiency. The study suggests that it can have a significant impact on the psychological well-being of employees. Great Place to Work defines a “great place to work” as an environment that encourages a healthy work-life balance, cares about employees as people, and fosters a psychologically and emotionally healthy environment.
The challenges of returning to the office
Despite the clear benefits of remote working, many companies are pushing for a return to the office, ignoring the benefits highlighted by research. The report suggests that forcing a return to the office could be counterproductive: it will increase turnover and reduce employee satisfaction and productivity. Employer forewarned, forearmed.
Let's be clear: every study should be taken with a grain of salt and no study alone has the “revealed truth,” but there is a trend. There are now several that show how remote working offers significant advantages for both employees and companies. Flexibility in choosing the workplace appears to be a key factor for employee satisfaction and company productivity.
Towards a new balance
As the debate on remote working continues, especially in Italy, it is clear that companies will have to reconsider their working policies. The future seems oriented towards a hybrid model (I defined it some time ago as "asymmetrical and bright“) that offers employees the flexibility to choose where to work, balancing the benefits of remote working with opportunities for in-person collaboration.
Companies that are lucky enough to be able to afford it and have the ability to adapt to this new reality, offering flexibility and trust to their employees, will likely be the ones that thrive. Remote working is not the solution to all workplace problems, but it is certainly now a significant factor towards a more satisfying, productive and inclusive work environment.
