The latest study to validate that remote work is where it’s at if you want happy, productive employees comes from Owl Labs. The video conferencing provider’s just-released Global State of Remote Work report—which surveyed over 3,000 employees in 23 countries across 6 continents—found that the ROI of flex work styles is indeed real and here to stay. Telecommuting continues to gain significant traction worldwide, with over half of global respondents (52%) working remotely at least once a week.
Read on to learn more about the report about remote workers:
A top finding was that people who have the opportunity to work remotely at least monthly are 24% more likely to feel happy and productive in their roles. The top reason that global respondents gave for working remotely is to achieve increased productivity and better focus. That’s a significant payoff for employers who offer employees the chance for more choice in where they get the job done. Yet while the study found that 16% of companies surveyed across the globe are fully remote, double that amount—32%—of respondents reported that they can’t work remotely (or never do).
Drilling down into the data, Owl Labs discovered that certain types of roles are more likely than others to offer remote work full-time. Specifically, individual contributors were 20% more likely to have a fully remote job compared to the average respondent. Also, some companies found benefits from a middle ground or “hybrid” form of flexibility, offering both remote and in-office options. Over half (56%) of those polled worldwide reported being either fully remote or hybrid—and those in this group were found to enjoy 25% less turnover than companies that didn’t offer remote opportunities.
Overall, respondents in all fields stated their belief that remote work provides more opportunities for quality employment. Finance and insurance professionals led the pack in this belief at 40%. This data indicates that remote work opportunities continue to impact the future of work.
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One point that was notable from the study is that the U.S. lags behind other nations in workplace flexibility. Here are some highlights of the global data:
- Both Australia and Africa have more hybrid companies with remote work flexibility—60% and 59%, respectively—than North America, which ranks third in this arena at 57%.
- The U.S. has 13% fewer hybrid companies than the global average.
- When it comes to banning remote work entirely, the U.S. tops the chart worldwide, with 14% more companies banning remote work than the global average—50% of the U.S. companies polled don’t allow remote work.
- In the U.S., respondents indicated being 23% less likely to work remotely at least one day per week compared to the global average.
The message is clear: American employers are falling out of step with the global sentiment on telecommuting, and as a result are at higher risk for employees being less engaged, less happy, and less productive. People become more satisfied and engaged when they have a choice about where and when to work, and can structure their day to maximize their productivity. If you want to create a culture of loyalty among your employees and avoid losing top talent to more flexible employers, consider offering at least hybrid opportunities for flexible work.
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