Notable trends in remote working

Remote working has become more and more popular in the last decade. It has become a way for people to work from home, freelance, or work for a company remotely. Many people are now choosing to work from home or from a different location, and that's a trend that is not showing any signs of slowing down. 

How effective has remote work been?

According to a 2018 Forbes report, between the years 2015-2021, 94% of 10 million jobs created were remote/freelance or temporary gigs, a good indicator that the gig economy is booming.

The numbers have been rising steadily and with the pandemic hitting hard; even the biggest of firms world over went remote.  The reason for the massive growth has been because of the many benefits of working remotely.

Did you know? -  Remote employees work an additional 1.4 more days per month than in-office employees, which is nearly 17 additional workdays a year.

Remote work offers many benefits for both freelancers and employers alike. A good example is that employees can work remotely because it offers them the chance to spend more time with their family, while employers can benefit because they don't have to pay for office space or equipment.

There are many advantages to this type of work, such as:

• Flexibility

• The ability to work from anywhere in the world

• Reduced commute time

• Reduced cost of living expenses

• Improved quality of life

Remote working is not without its challenges, however. There are some disadvantages as well, such as:

• Lack of social interaction with coworkers or management.

• Lack of physical office space and amenities.

Trends to expect

Trend 1: High investments in cyber security

With the growth and expansion of remote work, there is going to be a higher demand for higher investments in cyber security by organizations. This is because, with remote work, confidential information is accessible online and therefore there is a need to be aware of who, where, and how the information is disseminated.

There is a significant data threat that may be a result of supply chain attacks or online fishing. That’s because it’s easy to exploit employees through emotional manipulation and social engineering. To ensure that this threat is curbed, there is a major increase in the following sectors of data protection: 

• Multi-factor authentication.

• Applying ‘least privilege’ access.

• Keep versions of software up-to-date.

• Always utilize anti-malware to protect all company data.

Trend 2: A broad societal shift

Remote work has already impacted everyone. It has given people a chance to learn that they can still work from home away from the office and be productive. What many have learned is that you don't have to live and work in big cities, you don't even need to find those competitive jobs anymore. You can take your skillset (as well as your income) to the country’s smaller towns and rural areas, bringing wealth into regions that historically have had less.

There is also a shift in the level of love and happiness people get from their jobs since the inception of remote work. Research has shown that employees who work remotely were 20% happier than the average employee. With remote work becoming a norm we hope to see an increase in job satisfaction rates. It is a trend we are all rooting for in the coming years. 

Trend 3: More opportunities

With remote work becoming a force to reckon with, we can all agree that there is an increase in opportunities for individuals. You no longer have to search for the best job in your nearest town or city – you can search for their ideal job, anywhere. 

The idea that you can hire from anywhere in the world creates an amazing pool for employees to choose from-allowing companies to pick the best. Companies have to be at the top of their game in terms of company culture and benefits, etc., to reel in those high-profile employees.

Trend 4: Remote work will be retained

For sure this is given, we all know that remote work become widely spread during the pandemic and as things stand, there is no backing down. More than 80 percent of the workforce that has been working from home would resign if they were made to return to the office full-time.

This means that many organizations are going to retain the remote work system and even hire more in the process. It is without a doubt that remote work is here to stay and as such, will be alive long if not for good.

Trend 5: The use of AI to manage teams

There are predictions that remote work software such as mobile work tools and virtual reality meetings will become the preferred form of communication over face-to-face meetings. AI could also play an important role in managing remote workers.

These advances could reassure businesses. The transition to managing remote workers can be daunting, but with the right technology and hard-working employees, it can be a seamless process.

There is so much to look forward to in 2023. There are so many notable trends in remote working that will come up. There is so much to be desired and all we can do is wait and see. As a remote worker be on the lookout for these notable trends and stay ahead to ensure that you get the best out of any new technology that may come into the industry. This will be helpful not just in helping you grow but also impacting you positively as you seek to influence the world.

If you are a business owner or remote team worker, you can use Cubo to do all you need in one place. Cubo is s a client engagement platform that helps freelancers and employees communicate and interact fluidly without needing to email or use various links to perform routine tasks. Interactions happen instantly through one URL; your personal online office.

Get started.