These days, it looks like the bloom is coming off the rose for remote work: Many employers are talking tougher. New research shows employees are actually less productive when they work from home full-time. And, with the tight job market starting to slacken, some predict 2024 will be the year employers finally clamp down.
But don’t be too quick to conclude things are going back to the days of 9 to 5 in the old cubicle.
It’s true widespread studies based on standard measures of efficiency have found fully remote employees are 10% to 20% less productive than those working on company premises. Challenges related to communications, coordination and self-motivation may be factors in the decline.
And some employers have been warning those who fail to meet new standards for being in the office may find adverse effects on their performance evaluations and incomes.
But the research that showed lower productivity by full-time remote workers also found that those on a hybrid schedule — some days at home and some on site — were about as productive as those in the office full-time. And there’s some evidence companies offering greater flexibility to workers may achieve better financial results.