Effects of Remote Work Policies

All is not well in fully-remote OR fully in-office work. While new Gallup research reveals that fully remote workers are more engaged than even hybrid workers (and fully on-site workers are the least engaged - a slap in the face of RTO), they aren't thriving the most - hybrid workers are. It's perhaps no surprise (to all but some CEO's and managers) that fully on-site workers are thriving the least. Interestingly, hybrid workers experience the most stress (just a hair more than fully remote), and disturbingly, fully remote workers are more likely to experience anger, sadness, and loneliness - by a decent margin. Gallup believes that physical distance can create mental distance and that work becomes "just work" without deeper connections with coworkers that can be more easily formed from spending time together in person. They also think that it's the autonomy that comes with remote work which can create stress and lead to the negative emotions mentioned above. I think these are very interesting findings, and I would like to believe that most companies would take the time to reflect on them and take appropriate action. Here's what I think companies can do: 1. Address the emotional well-being of remote workers with regular check-ins, mental health resources, and virtual social activities to combat isolation. 2. Optimize hybrid work environments by creating create clear boundaries between work and home life, help their workers manage workloads effectively, and ensure hybrid workers aren't overcompensating with longer hours. 3. Explore the advantages of remote work, seek to understand what drives the higher engagement and apply these lessons across all work arrangements. 4. Given that each work arrangement faces different challenges, develop tailored well-being strategies for each work type. A one-size-fits-all approach isn't the way to go. 5. Ensure that remote workers have career development opportunities, opportunities to develop meaningful social connections, and achieve work-life balance to close the thriving gap. 6. For companies that are (or are considering moving to) fully in-office work, reconsider hybrid and/or remote work for the clear benefits. I know - wishful thinking, especially for #6. Here's the full Gallup report: https://lnkd.in/ezQB4K5q #WellBeing #EmployeeEngagement #WorkLifeBalance #FutureOfWork #RTO

What's the relationship between company flexibility and revenue growth? For the first time we have an answer. The hottest debate on remote work is about productivity. Some CEOs have been adamant that remote workers aren't productive. Employees feel just as strongly that the opposite is true. Through a Flex Index <> Boston Consulting Group (BCG) collaboration, we analyzed the 3 year revenue growth of 554 public companies between 2020 and 2022. To account for industry differences in high- and low-growth sectors, we then normalized each company's growth rate based on its industry growth rate. What did we find? Companies that are Fully Flexible -- meaning they do not require time in office -- outperformed their peers by 16 percentage points in revenue growth between 2020-2022. Companies that are Structured Hybrid -- meaning they require some time in office, but not full time -- outperformed their Full Time In Office peers by 2x. Why does this matter? Executive teams and board rooms are regularly discussing flexible work policies. Now a CFO can go to a CEO or Board and say: (1) There is no data that public companies offering work location flexibility underperform. In fact, there is data that public companies offering work location flexibility are growing revenue faster than those that do not. (2) Offering work location flexibility enables us to attract more candidates, retain more employees, and drive higher employee engagement. (3) Offering work location flexibility also saves us cost on real estate footprint. That's a powerful argument, and one that will drive more and more companies to adopt work location flexibility over time. Link to the full research: https://lnkd.in/ech_NUG2. And a big thank you to Debbie Lovich, Rosie Sargeant, and the BCG team that we collaborated with on the analysis! #futureofwork #flexibleworking #remotework

Recent data shows companies that ended remote work policies are facing significant challenges filling open positions, while their remote-friendly competitors continue attracting top talent.   This trend highlights a fundamental shift in the employment landscape that many organizations still haven't fully grasped.   The most talented professionals now have genuine choice in where they work, and they're consistently choosing employers who demonstrate trust in their ability to deliver results regardless of location.   What's particularly telling is that the return-to-office push isn't supported by productivity data.   Study after study shows remote workers often outperform their office-based counterparts on key metrics.   The real issue isn't about work quality - it's about management comfort with measuring outcomes rather than activity.   Organizations struggling with remote work often have deeper issues around goal-setting, performance measurement, and trust in their teams.   Meanwhile, companies that have embraced flexible work arrangements are benefiting from:   • Access to broader talent pools unconstrained by geography • Higher employee satisfaction and retention rates • Reduced overhead costs • Improved work-life integration leading to better performance   The market is speaking clearly: flexibility and trust aren't workplace perks anymore - they're competitive requirements for attracting and retaining exceptional talent.   Organizations that fail to adapt to this reality will continue struggling to compete for the best people.   How has your organization adapted to changing expectations around workplace flexibility?   Sign up to my newsletter for more corporate insights and truths here: https://lnkd.in/eyXPtQCb   CC: Foster, Brian. "Companies That Ended Remote Work Are Struggling to Fill Vacancies." Glass Almanac, 13 April 2025   #executiverecruiter #eliterecruiter #jobmarket2025 #profoliosai #resume #jobstrategy #remotework #workplaceflexibility #futureofwork #talentacquisition

U.S. Federal Report Finds RTO Fails When Compared To Remote Work – A new GAO report highlights a clear truth: remote work, done right, outperforms return-to-office mandates across the board – Remote work boosts hiring, productivity, and cost savings, while promoting inclusivity and well-being – Case studies show lower quit rates, higher retention, and increased full-time employment for people with disabilities – Employers report halved office costs, streamlined operations, and measurable productivity gains – Employees reclaim 55 minutes daily from commuting, leading to better focus and mental health – Concerns about culture and compliance are solvable through structured virtual engagement and existing legal guidance – The GAO finds that flexibility isn't just a perk—it’s a strategic imperative – For organizations prioritizing talent, performance, and resilience, remote work is the blueprint for the future Read more in my article for Allwork.Space | FUTURE OF WORK® https://lnkd.in/gjPUkUBG

I've spoken to 4,000+ companies about remote work since March 2020 Here are the most common things I've heard 👇 1. 🏢 HQ Obliteration: Return to office has stopped, companies have cut back the real estate they could, and will cut a lot more as leases expire. The majority of workers will work remotely at least part-time and the amount will grow 2. ⭐️ Access talent: The first reason they are going remote-first is simple – it lets them hire more talented people. Rather than hiring the best person in a 30-mile radius of the office, they can hire the best person in the world for every role 3. 💰 Cut costs: The second reason is because it makes them more cost-efficient. Rather than spending $10K-$20K per worker a year on office space they can provide a worldclass remote setup for less than $1,000 a year 4. 🌐 Universal problems: doesn’t matter the size of the organization, every company is dealing with the same thing. How do we operate as a global business? Equipping teams and managing assets is a huge pain point 5. 🏭 ESG Considerations: many companies care massively about the environmental impact eradicating the office – and the commute – has. 108 million tons of Co2 less every year. Boards are looking here as well 6. ❤️ Quality of life: companies also know they don’t need workers to waste 2 hours a day commuting to sit in an office chair for 8 hour. Companies have seen reducing commute frequency leads to happier more productive workers 7. 🚀 Outcomes vs. Time: the measure of performance in the office is how much time you spend sat in your seat. The measure of performance while working remotely has to be output. Companies are moving slowly here 8. 🎡 Hybrid Conflict: what companies and workers think hybrid means are two different things. Workers think it is being able to work remotely whenever they want. Companies think it is telling workers when they must attend. Big problem 9. 🛑 Bad Software: companies continue to use software and tooling designed for in-office teams causing issues for distributed workers. New tools developed by remote-native startups are emerging but not being adopted fast enough 10. 🔐 Tech & Security: in the old world the edge from a security perspective was the office, now it's every device. This creates big security risk and vulnerabilities as devices are lost. Companies lack good solutions

Remote work isn’t the problem, but forcing a return-to-office mandate blindly might be. Lack of work measurement may be your issue, not the work location. And if you're not measuring the work, you're not ready to mandate the office. - I’ve seen it in my employees. - I’ve seen it in my customers. - I’ve seen it in my prospects. - I’ve seen it in my own family. Most remote workers aren’t slacking off. - They start earlier. - They stay later. - They answer emails at night. - They build decks, close deals, write code, and prep board slides on weekends, because their work matters to them. So before you issue a sweeping return-to-office mandate, ask yourself: - Do you really understand the volume of work getting done? - Can you confidently speak to the quality of output? - Are you adequately considering factors other than presence? If not, don’t mistake visibility for productivity. Mandating a commute to feel more “in control” might actually REDUCE output, especially from your top performers. Here’s a better path: - Measure outcomes, not office attendance - Acknowledge the effort being delivered from home - Reserve in-office time for what it’s best at: connection, collaboration, and culture If you can clearly and precisely quantify a reduction in output since deploying work-at-home policies, you should deeply analyze the root cause before changing policies. You may be surprised by what you find. Return-to-office shouldn’t be about power and face time. It should be about purpose.

The data doesn't lie. Remote work isn't the productivity killer many bosses claim it to be. Adam Grant nails it again. 👏 I've coached hundreds of professionals through career transitions, and here's what I've seen firsthand: ↳ The most focused, high-output work happens when people can control their environment ↳ Many report saving 10+ hours weekly from commuting alone – hours they now invest in deep work ↳ Teams that measure results (not hours logged in an office) consistently outperform those fixated on "butts in seats" This isn't about remote vs. office – it's about what work truly requires: 1. Deep focus time (often better at home) 2. Collaborative sessions (often better in person) 3. Clear expectations (works anywhere) Smart leaders recognize this isn't one-size-fits-all. They're creating flexible arrangements based on the work itself, not outdated assumptions. As someone who helps professionals land competitive roles, I can tell you this: top talent is voting with their feet. The best people want flexibility and autonomy. Companies clinging to rigid policies citing "culture" concerns are often masking deeper management issues. Great cultures thrive on trust, not surveillance. What's your experience been? Has remote work increased your productivity or created challenges? —— Reshare ♻️ if you believe in trusting adults to manage their own work environments. And follow me for more career insights backed by real-world experience. 📌 P.S. Looking for roles with genuine flexibility? I help professionals land fulfilling $200K-$500K positions with forward-thinking companies. DM me for info.

For companies who are demanding employees return to the office, your resistance to remote work can be hurting engagement and retention. Asking people to leave behind flexible work arrangements can lead to a loss of trust, a lack of work-life balance, and productivity concerns.  Let’s look at Yelp. The company has embraced a fully remote workplace and closed its offices in five major cities because of underutilization. After reading this HR Brew article on Yelp’s remote-first approach, here’s what stood out to me the most. • Productivity remained strong: The company reported a record net revenue of $312 million for six consecutive quarters. Product velocity is also higher than it’s been in recent years.  • Flexibility helped boost recruitment: The applicant pool for general and administrative roles increased by 200%. Yelp’s Chief People Officer also shared that research showed queer employees and employees of color feel more comfortable working remotely and it’s helped them expand their candidate pool of diverse talent. As we see more companies push for #RTO, let’s continue to share success stories of how remote work has helped build a more inclusive and productive environment. If your company is fully remote, what are some of the key benefits you’ve seen? #remotework #hybridworkplace #inclusiveworkplace 

JP Morgan Chase implemented an RTO (return to office) mandate this year, trying to entice employees back to the office with "perks" like... 💡 Smart lighting ☀️ Personalized climate 🥑 Tailored beverages & treats 🕯️ Signature scents 🖼️ Corporate art collections How's that going? Is the carrot working? Here's a timeline of events that's happened since... 1️⃣ Workers created a petition to fight back for their work flexibility. 2️⃣ CEO Jamie Dimon says “Don’t waste time on it. I don’t care how many people sign that f-ing petition” 3️⃣ Recent employee satisfaction survey showed the lowest scores for: internal mobility, work-life balance, and health and well-being. 4️⃣ Employees are ignoring RTO across the board with many companies. While policy requirements for office attendance have jumped 10 percent since early 2024 across the industry, actual attendance has barely moved, increasing less than 2 percent. So is the stick working better than the carrot? Mayb no...it's been bad for employees and companies. Here's the hidden cost of RTO: 🏃 Top talent leaves first and gets scooped up competition. 💸 Replacing talent costs the organization 1.5-2x the cost of their salary. 💻 Employee productivity goes down 🤰 Mothers are leaving the workforce in droves 😒 Morale goes down. So if RTO is truly about culture, productivity and collaboration...then why aren't leaders using data on culture, productivity and collaboration to make their decisions? What do you think? 👇 Edit: please keep your comments RESPECTFUL. This should be a professional conversation without attacks on any person. Present your case with grace. #rto #remotework

CEOs are saying that remote work is a “productivity issue.” To me, that sounds like a trust issue. If you hire great people and set clear goals, they don’t need to sit in a building 40 hours a week to prove their value. Harvard Business School found that remote workers are 13.5% more productive and make more calls per minute than their in-office counterparts. Stanford’s research shows remote employees take shorter breaks, have fewer sick days, and quit half as often. Micromanagement isn’t leadership. Autonomy is. Remote work isn’t the problem. Bad management is.