What are the perspectives for the future of remote working?

The development of remote working in European companies was precipitated by COVID-19. During the pandemic, remote working meant that businesses could continue doing business while keeping employees safe. This reduction of the time spent in the workplace has also served as an experiment for both employers and employees. The benefits of remote work for both sides have led to its continuation. In the future, remote working will be governed by new regulations, labour relations will create a change and workplaces will also evolve. We will now help you understand in detail how these new perspectives will open up and develop over time.

Is remote working the future?

Working from home provides answers to major CSR challenges for companies:

• Remote working helps foster the inclusion of people with reduced mobility;
• Limiting travel reduces greenhouse gas emissions;
• Traffic circulation is also improved by the decrease in travel;
• Remote work has a significant impact on energy production, which has been reduced in Europe;
• This new work structure helps improve employee well-being at work.

Employees’ well-being and health benefits are dependent on their remote working conditions. The best set-up for remote working must include access to an ergonomic workstation. This new way of working may also exclude some employees, especially those who are not computer literate or whose home is not suitable for remote working. Of course, some professions aren’t suited to work from home, such as manual jobs. In the years to come, these “excluded” people will undoubtedly have to make their voices heard with regards to their situation.

What is the future of remote working from a regulatory point of view?

The regulations, as well as employers and trade unions, did not anticipate the rise remote working during the pandemic. Now that we’ve all had time to take a step back, what is the future of working from home from a legal perspective? In many countries, a legal framework is being set up to regulate remote working.

Internationally, the European Parliament has asked the European Commission to legislate on the subject. The Parliament is particularly concerned about the phenomenon of over-connection for employees. They are therefore calling for a right to disconnect for remote workers, i.e. a right not to be logged in to work communication devices outside working hours. This is part of the right to maintain a work-life balance.

The International Labour Organisation is also addressing the issue of remote working conditions and rights around the world. It has drawn lessons from the way people were working at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the gathered information, the organisation made recommendations asking what the future of remote working might be. It calls on employers to guarantee employee well-being. Data shows that when people work remotely, they tend to work past their normal working hours.

The future of remote working: A revaluation of human relations

Working from home improves employees’ quality of life by reducing commuting time and improving flexibility. Today, many individuals prefer to work remotely after the pandemic since their everyday lives have improved.

However, there have also been negative consequences, especially when it comes to the breakdown of human relationships. One of the disadvantages is the risk of social isolation, not only from colleagues but also from life in general. For many employees, workplace relationships are an important part of their social ties.

Another risk is the loss of motivation and, more generally, a loss of team spirit and leadership. Lastly, relations with senior management are largely conducted via technology and digital tools, which can result in employees losing opportunities for career advancement. In this light, some wonder what the future holds for remote working.

One solution to combat weakening social ties is to return to the workplace several days a week. New management methods that are focused on making people central, such as Lean Management, are in the process of development. Lean management improves process efficiency by capitalising on collective and global intelligence. Management must definitively focus on team cohesion and thus an encouragement of hybrid working. Even when working remotely, certain habits must be formed to ensure that employees continue to talk to each other. The inherent risk from a lack of cohesion is a decrease in individual motivation, as well as a loss of talent that has not developed a sense of belonging.

The future of remote working: Inventing new places

The introduction of these new working techniques requires the long-term rethinking of the concept of remote working, beginning with where people do it. It is not so much the fact that they get to stay at home that appeals to employees working remotely, it is the feeling of freedom that comes with it. Home is not always an ideal workplace for remote workers to be productive, even if it is only for a few days a week. So, what is the future of working outside the home?

Coworking spaces are workplaces that are open to employees who pay a subscription fee to work there. Their number has been increasing since the COVID-19 crisis. They fulfil the need for human contact among employees. They offer workers the opportunity to meet people with different profiles including employees, the self-employed, and students. These encounters expect to help people build their business network as well as promoting related open-mindedness and creativity. Many companies cover the costs of employees working from coworking spaces. Other employers have set up third-party locations, which are less formal than an official office. Finally, more and more employees are finding ways to work remotely entirely, from a city that is a long way away from their company, or even from abroad.

For the many employees who continue to work partly or wholly from home, the challenge companies face most is to provide workspace arrangement solutions. Employers are required to provide suitable equipment so that remote workers can do their job in conditions that respect their health and safety. Manutan already has several ranges of ergonomic office furniture in small sizes, specially adapted to the layout of a home office. Shop the range here.

If you’re interested in finding out more about the future of remote working and the methods for implementing it, download “The Guide to working from home” white paper