Does the media narrative strike you as overwhelmingly critical of hybrid and remote work? You’re not alone. But contrary to widespread skepticism, FlexOS’ survey findings demonstrate an overwhelmingly positive reality for managers embracing hybrid remote work.
by Daan van Rossum, Founder & CEO, FlexOS
Buckle up as we embark on a journey of myth-busting in the realm of hybrid and remote work. FlexOS has challenged widely held beliefs in their latest study, revealing surprising truths about this evolving work landscape. In this article, we’ll uncover the seven most prevalent myths, shedding light on the truth behind them.
Myth 1: Remote workers aren’t productive.
Reality: Remote managers say teams are more productive than ever
66% of randomly selected managers experience improved performance levels, of which 48.5% said productivity has ‘significantly improved,’ dismantling the belief that physical presence is essential for optimal productivity.
With 31% of managers saying productivity has remained the same, only 2% saw a decrease in productivity.
Myth 2: Remote managers don’t trust their teams.
Reality: 98% of remote managers say they trust their teams
A remarkable 98% of managers said they’re confident in their teams’ ability to deliver results on non-office days. Here’s how it breaks down: 60% said they trust their employees completely, and 37% mostly.
Myth 3: Managing remote is painful.
Reality: Managers lead remote teams with relative ease and joy
77% of managers in the survey said they find remote management easy, and 62% find it enjoyable or very enjoyable.
Myth 4: There aren’t many benefits to remote work
Reality: Remote work benefits go way beyond the occasional pyjama day.
54% of managers positively highlight the reduction in commuting-related time and stress, and 53% say improved work-life balance for team members is a key benefit.
Managers also positively highlight the ability to attract and retain top talent (18%), and access to an expanded talent pool with diverse skills (30%.) This is even more applicable for fully remote managers, who feel 21% more strongly that they have an extended talent pool.
Myth 5: Collaboration is impossible remotely. Impossible!
Reality: Distractions at home and a lack of steady internet are the enemy
In the list of remote work challenges, difficulty collaborating comes in at a distant 8th. Instead, leaders answered universally that distractions at home bug them, especially kids and other family members.
Less facetime results in delays, miscommunication, and difficulty understanding and managing emotions.
Myth 6: Managers crave more virtual happy hours
Reality: They’d much rather get proper remote training.
Companies have used wellness programs (50%), knowledge-sharing initiatives (37%), virtual career development (36%), team-building activities (35%), and dedicated ‘water cooler’ channels (31%) to engage remote employees.
However, remote managers really want more training and better technology.
Myth 7: People can’t wait to get back into the office
Reality: They don’t, and they most likely won’t (for long.)
Asked to return to the office full-time, 15% of employees would consider looking for a new job, and 59% would return if needed. Only 26% would happily return to the office.
About the Author:
Daan van Rossum is the CEO at FlexOS, the platform that levels up the leadership skills of hybrid and remote managers. FlexOS raised 1 million dollars in 2022 and is touted as the leader of hybrid and remote work.
Daan is also the creator of Future Work, a weekly newsletter and podcast about the future of work, with guests including Mark Birch (Amazon), Renee Kida (Google, GoTo), and Tracy Brower (Steelcase, Forbes) and an audience of over 15,000 leaders.
Prior to leading FlexOS, Daan was CEO at Dreamplex, the leader in Workplace Experience, before which he ran his wellbeing startup Bright. This followed a 9-year engagement with Ogilvy, for which he worked as a Regional Strategy & Innovation Director across their Amsterdam, New York, Chicago, Singapore, and Ho Chi Minh City offices.
Topics:
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Future of Work
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Hybrid and Remote Work
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Gen Z
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Workplace Experience
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AI and Digital Transformation
Past Speaking Experiences:
The Economist Future of Work Summit, Spikes Asia, Vietcetera, AllWork.Space, the Adrian Tan Show (ChannelNewsAsia), HR.com, GCUC, Everything Coworking, HRTech, Backscoop, Flip-flops and People Ops, World of Work, People Matters, Asia Tech Podcast, Thriving in the Age of Disruption, The Elevated Experience.
About FlexOS:
FlexOS is an operating system that enables companies to launch and manage hybrid teams and offices in the Asia-Pacific successfully. The platform supports HR teams and company leadership with insightful data to help transform how companies approach workplace management and bring employees together in the hybrid world of work.
This workplace platform offers employee-centric and data-driven features to solve the biggest hybrid challenges: getting people back into the office, managing flexible office space, and employee engagement and retention.
FlexOS asks your employees key questions to understand who they are, how they work and what drives them to help build personalized engagement programming directly for them.
FlexOS helps companies to understand how offices and bookable resources are being utilized to prioritize the most popular types of spaces. It also offers powerful analytics to understand workplace usage and which teams are complying to office attendance rules.