Remote workers perform better than in-person colleagues

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many employees have stayed remote, rather than returning to the office, enjoying the flexibility of working from home.

While some employers have assumed that remote workers are far less productive than those going into the office each day, a new study from Eagle Hill Consulting finds the opposite is true. 

Edge Hill’s research of 1,001 US employees found that 45% of remote workers have improved in their performance over the past two years, compared to just 34% of in-person workers. 

This data suggests that the flexibility and freedom that comes with remote work actually increases the efficiency of employees. 

However, employees also felt pressure to prove they were working hard while working from home. 74% of hybrid workers told Edge Hill they felt pressured to perform well, while 67% of in-person employees felt the same way. 

Melissa Jezior, president and CEO of Eagle Hill Consulting, noted: “While employees have felt more pressure to perform well, workers are feeling supported and recognized.

“The challenge going forward for employers will be to sustain the positives that have emerged during the pandemic while finding new ways to manage employee performance as the future of work solidifies, be it working remotely or with a hybrid approach.”

How to develop a remote worker

There has been lots of discussion about whether employees can grow in their careers from home. Just a few months ago the CEO of Morgan Stanley spoke out against the increasing push for remote options, citing it as a barrier to development. 

Surprisingly, however, Edge Hill’s research found that 81% of remote workers say that they can advance in their jobs, while significantly fewer (70%) of in-person employees say the same. 

But managers need to take these positive stats and continue to work to even better support their remote workers.

42% of employees said they needed more training and development to be successful in their jobs (this increased to 46% for hybrid workers).

The data also says employers need to clearly and precisely encourage their employees. “Hybrid employees (40%) say their biggest challenge is innovation and idea generation. Remote (30%) and in-person (32%) workers indicate their biggest challenge is sharing information,” according to Edge Hill.

Developing a remote employee takes different skills than learning and building the relationship in an in-person setting. Working from home requires clearer instructions and outlined goals so that the remote employee can fulfill their tasks outside of a traditional office. 

51% of surveyed hybrid workers cited clarity on team goals as necessary for developing in their role. Managers also need to focus on encouraging creativity and engagement by clearly defining tasks and goals. 

Ultimately, it seems that we will never return to a fully in-person world, the next challenge is figuring out how to make remote and hybrid work the best it can be.