Raphael Crawford-Marks is the CEO of Bonusly, an employee engagement solution that creates connected, motivated, high-performing teams.
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Traditional workspaces have experienced a significant shift in the wake of the pandemic. Remote work—once considered an unplanned experiment—has become the new normal. But the jury is still out on its impact. Do employees value flexibility over in-person connections? How does remote work affect performance and business outcomes? Does remote work, simply put, work?
Currently, 12.7% of full-time employees work from home, which is expected to rise to around 22% by 2025. Though almost all workers want flexible work, managers and leaders remain skeptical. Their concerns may feel supported by new data suggesting that remote workers may be less productive. However, this revelation doesn't mean we should race back to headquarters. I believe it serves as an opportunity to reimagine the future of work.
As we navigate this shifting landscape, it’s evident that the benefits of remote work, combined with intentional adjustments in management and team collaboration, can yield substantial advantages that address the productivity dip.
There's A Problem With Perception Of Productivity
In recent weeks, discussions around remote work have been centered around this statistic: The Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research found that remote workers were 10% less productive than in-office employees. Naturally, this stat became a major headline. But it doesn’t tell the entire story.
The available data on productivity in remote work environments is conflicting and sparse. Working from home is brand new for a majority of companies, so we’re still figuring out how to recreate engaging environments that are tailored to a distributed workforce. Additionally, the very nature of work has drastically changed as employees juggle handling caregiving responsibilities, learning new collaboration tools and blurring or breaking work-life boundaries. This has led to a rise in people experiencing burnout. So measuring productivity in an environment like this is unlikely to yield accurate results.
Other factors have been overlooked as well. The traditional office model typically focuses on showing up; presenteeism is equated with productivity. On the other hand, remote work concentrates on outcomes. It's no longer about counting hours; it's a focus on evaluating outputs. This transition requires a shift in how employees are managed and how success is measured.
The Financial Equation Still Matters
Despite potential productivity challenges, the financial argument for remote work is strong. Global Workplace Analytics estimates remote work saves companies $11,000 per employee annually. Rent, utilities and office space maintenance costs are expensive, so a remote workforce can help minimize or even eliminate this spending.
Also, an organization’s talent pool is no longer restricted by geography. A remote workforce allows companies to source top talent nationally, or even globally, and capture diverse skill sets that would otherwise be inaccessible. Companies can avoid relocation costs, and many save money by adopting location-based salaries.
These cost savings can be reallocated to addressing productivity challenges. Companies could redirect resources toward better management training or learning and development opportunities, for example. Wellness stipends, passes to local coworking spaces and budgets for annual company retreats can also be pursued, increasing morale and employee connections along the way.
Bring Intention Back To The Remote Workplace
Remote work is an entirely different modality than in-person work. Rather than attempting to recreate office dynamics virtually, companies need to develop practices tailored to remote environments. The virtual happy hour may have brought a moment of levity, but it fails to address the core challenges of isolation and disconnection long-term.
Intentionality is key. Based on my experiences with the company I lead, here are a few examples of what can work.
Set best practices during onboarding.
First impressions are essential, and a remote onboarding experience ensures new employees feel welcomed and provides clarity. Successful onboarding can include initiatives like sending suggestions for creating a productive home office, providing onboarding buddies to navigate the new work culture and having managers set clear expectations and parameters from the start.
Commit to collaborative communication and documentation.
Employees need access to key information for doing their jobs and collaborating more efficiently. Organizations must clearly document processes, file information and use communication tools to remove roadblocks and pave pathways to productive work. At Bonusly, for example, our team uses a strategic combination of tools like Guru, Google Drive, Asana and Slack. To foster transparency, trust and collaboration, we also ensure our companywide goals are public.
Encourage informal communication.
Formal documentation like the above needs to be balanced by informal touchpoints. Since it’s no longer happening organically in the break room, companies must facilitate this kind of communication. Ways to do this include Slack integrations like Donut chats, empowering department heads to create moments of connection during weekly meetings or sharing fun chat prompts with employees before companywide meetings.
Train managers in remote strategies.
Strong management is important, and it's especially critical in remote environments. Managers must provide clarity and constant support to their distributed teams. Invest in training to conduct better growth conversations, implement stay interviews and navigate performance challenges. Then, ensure 1:1s or regular check-ins happen often and are productive—not just status update syncs.
Create space for in-person connections.
Intentional practice can make remote work successful, but it doesn’t replace the specific value of in-person interactions. Finding ways to get together will look different for every company and even across teams. At Bonusly, we host an annual retreat to build connections, create alignment and strengthen relationships. It’s one of my favorite events of the year!
The Path Forward
Remote work is a significant shift in the way we view and execute work. What worked in the office can’t be directly translated to distributed workforces. As companies continue to navigate it, they must embrace intentional practices that will drive productivity.
By investing in authentic ways to create workplace connections, companies can bridge the productivity gap and preserve the financial gains of remote work. This will promote a future where physical boundaries don't define or confine work, so employees can be engaged in meaningful work anywhere.
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