Teams | Collaboration | Customer Service | Project Management

There has been no shortage of digital ink spilled about the merits and pitfalls of remote work. A seemingly unending surge of worker surveys, scientific studies, pundit prognostications and C-suite demands have coalesced around the one intractable truth — nobody seems to agree if remote work is a productivity boon or bust. To be sure, today’s companies are highly motivated to understand this dynamic.

As the leaves begin to fall and the season changes, it’s a reminder that this challenging, disruptive and unprecedented year is already coming to a close. It also means that leaders will be assessing their teams, evaluating their strengths and limitations to improve their capacity in the year ahead. After a pandemic year, these evaluations will be more complicated and multifaceted than ever before.

For many people, work was redefined in 2021. Whether employees navigated a remote work environment for the first time or managed new tools associated with accelerated digitalization, the way work was accomplished – and what even constitutes work – looks different than it did a year ago, and it will continue to evolve in the year ahead.

As businesses emerge from the recent pandemic, it’s more important than ever that teams be productive, efficient, and engaged. This is especially true as companies make challenging decisions about the future while grappling with the repercussions of the past year. For instance, a Gartner survey of company executives across multiple industries found that 82 percent plan to offer flexible work arrangements moving forward, including remote and hybrid work opportunities. The benefits are evident.

Facebook Twitter Share As companies begin to emerge from the recent pandemic, there is a growing debate about the efficacy of pandemic-inspired work arrangements. Some organizations are committed to continuing workplace flexibility, while others insist on bringing people back to the office. Of course, many are taking a hybrid approach, allowing people to work remotely and on-site.

Continued Coronavirus uncertainty and employee preferences are delaying in-person returns to the office, making long-term workplace disruption an inevitable part of today’s business environment. According to Gartner, 82 percent of company leaders plan to allow people to work remotely at least part of the time moving forward.