Remote working isn’t going anywhere – here’s how to make the most of it

It’s no exaggeration to say the past two years have changed our perception of work forever – especially where work takes place.

Businesses across the board have witnessed their staff pass through a lengthy remote working acid test, in many cases with flying colors. Now, employers that initially found themselves forced to offer their people more trust and autonomy over their workload than ever before are continuing to do so by choice.

So, where are we at with remote working exactly? The latest stats released by McKinsey reveal that 35% of employees are working from home full-time, whereas 23% can work from home between one to four days a week as part of a hybrid structure.

We’ve also seen a heap of big brands double down on remote working over the past 12 months. Google has recently revealed plans to allow 20% of its 140,000 staff to work permanently from home. Spotify, Fujitsu and AirBnb have all committed to a remote-first approach for the long term. Others like Apple and PwC are promoting a hybrid approach that still requires some employees to make the trip into the office a few days each week, depending on the nature of their role.

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution here, which is what makes the responses taken by different companies so intriguing. With that in mind, let’s take a look at a few best practices and trends that are beginning to emerge.

Definitions matter

If you plan on rolling out remote working across your organization, you’re going to need a watertight policy that captures everything your staff need to know. The key rule here is simple: don’t leave people guessing.

Before anything else, your policy should make it clear which job roles are eligible to work fully remotely or on a hybrid basis.

You can then set scheduling expectations, whether it’s a blanket nine-to-five work day for everyone or more flexibility for staff to decide their own work schedules.

Provisions for technology and equipment should be detailed too, along with rules regarding client confidentiality, cybersecurity and the type of physical environments deemed acceptable for work.

This is a golden opportunity for business and HR leaders to invite feedback from their staff and collate individual and collective requests. That information can be used to direct your approach to remote working and create a policy in keeping with employee expectations.

Prevent silos, prioritize engagement

Claire McCartney, the CIPD’s Senior Policy Adviser on Resourcing and Inclusion, shared her thoughts on remote worker engagement with UNLEASH:

“We know from our recent Resourcing and Talent Planning report that 45% of employers say remote or hybrid working has increased staff productivity, compared with just 13% that say it has decreased. There are also almost twice as many employers (35%) that confirm working remotely has increased employee engagement, compared to the 20% that believe it has decreased.

“Remote working doesn’t come without its challenges, of course. It can be difficult for businesses with remote or hybrid workforces to maintain employee engagement and a strong sense of culture. It’s important to constantly connect back to an organization’s purpose and ensure there are sufficient communication channels, events and feedback sessions for remote staff.

“Preventing silos is another crucial challenge. Fortunately, technology offers new ways to collaborate across organizations and break down silos, as does encouraging cross-functional projects and intra-team catch ups.”

Make it a competitive advantage

The CIPD report also revealed that 68% of organizations offering remote working options say it has improved their ability to attract and retain exceptional candidates.

Many jobseekers, especially those with in-demand skills, now consider some form of remote working as a baseline standard for their ideal role. Looking at employee motivations, data on 450,000 jobseekers released by Flexa Careers found that 32% wanted to be remote-first, and 57% were looking for fully-remote options.

This tells us there’s plenty of potential for remote options to be a differentiator in the battle for talent.

Candidates are no longer afraid to ask a potential employer whether they offer remote or hybrid options, even for roles that don’t explicitly advertise it – but they shouldn’t have to.

Top companies realize that remote working gives them access to a far wider talent pool than they would ever have requiring employees to work from a single office. They also know that being vague about their remote policies doesn’t cut it in today’s labor market.

Cement your digital infrastructure

Having the right technology in place is essential to the success of every remote working strategy. Communications tools like Microsoft Teams, Zoom and Slack have quickly become synonymous with modern work for this very reason. The same goes for cloud storage and project management tools.

It’s not a good idea to leave employees to their own devices, either. Whether at home or a satellite location, workstations should be audited and optimized in the same way a central office would be, from both a technical and health and safety standpoint.

Remember that cybersecurity and data protection become more complex when remote workforces are involved.

Unsecured home devices are a big risk and could offer an entry point for hackers looking to compromise confidential information. Staff need training to embed resilient behaviors, understand individual responsibility and follow the right steps in the event of a breach.

Don’t forget tax implications

We know it’s a bore but there may be major tax implications for both the companies offering remote working and their employees. For instance, employers may be able to claim tax relief on any equipment or services they provide home working staff. That’s not necessarily the case if they reimburse an employee for equipment or services they purchase themselves. The same goes for home working and travel expenses.

Some of your remote staff might also have working from abroad in mind. Speaking on the Economist’s online podcast Sinead Casey, Employment Partner at multinational law firm Linklaters LLP, advised that this could trigger another unique set of tax implications.

“We’re seeing a lot of requests from employees looking to work from other locations. Employers need to consider these requests very carefully because there could be immigration and visa issues depending on the specific location, length of time and nationality of the employee in question,” Casey said.

“Employees also need to be mindful that there’s the potential for some employment benefits to be voided as a result, for instance things like private medical insurance.”

It’s never a good idea to sweep these gray areas under the carpet. Check everything through with a specialist accountant or employment lawyer before rolling out company-wide policies and explaining the ins and outs to your workforce.

Looking for more expert insights on remote working? Make sure to sign up for our free webinar – Remote Working Strategies That Work – on Wednesday 30 November. Attendance is limited so don’t forget to sign up to save your spot!