The future of remote work in America

The pandemic lockdown years had almost half of the US workforce adapting to remote work in no time. Companies became more open to discussing work flexibility as lockdowns, quarantines, and self-imposed isolation pressed their employees to work from home. Remote work was not so popular before the pandemic. But it became everyone’s favorite due to the security and financial comfort it offered. As economies reopen, the future of remote work will change rapidly.

We may be seeing the last of the remote working era

Though most industries can manage remote work, some businesses have already begun to lower the number of remote offerings. LinkedIn data reveals that remote work positions decreased to 14% in September from 20% in February.

Although the number of remote work listings has decreased, workers' demand for remote work has not decreased. More than half of job applicants want work flexibility that allows them to work from home. However, employers want their staff to return to the office at least a few days a week. While most business owners are willing to offer hybrid working options for their workforce, some employers want to impose return-to-office mandates for their employees. How do we know that remote work is fading away?

Not every employee has had the chance to embrace remote working yet

Even in offices where a majority of workers are working remotely, some employees don’t have the option to work from home. Employers are unlikely to give work flexibility for positions that have high value and require collaboration. Certain industries, such as law and finance, are reluctant to have their employees work remotely. Also, many roles that require in-person interactions are not given the chance to work from home.

In some industries, workers need to use specialized equipment to perform their roles. These jobs are nearly impossible to be conducted remotely. Providing care, using laboratory equipment, and operating machinery are some such jobs. Also, those who process in-store customer transactions and do deliveries cannot work remotely. Many jobs in food services, transportation, agriculture, and property management are physical in nature and can’t be performed remotely. As the world returns to normal, remote work will become nearly extinct in these roles.

Tech companies are no longer going all-remote

Tech companies hired remote workers faster than anyone else during the pandemic. It was easier for most tech businesses to run remotely. They had all the tech they needed already to function the same way. Video conferencing tools, collaboration tools, and other tech tools enabled workers in the IT industry to connect virtually.

Teleworking has become the new normal for tech companies all over the world. Tech workers didn’t necessarily have to work from home either. Many took advantage of co-working spaces and cafes to get their daily work done. However, remote work had its own set of obstacles for tech workers. Junior workers did not get to hone their collaboration skills and interpersonal skills when working from home. People found it difficult to keep track of their career progression. The lack of face time with team members caused office cultures to fall apart. Also, employers could no longer spot worker dissatisfaction and health problems.

Will hybrid models replace remote work in the future?

For businesses with high remote work potential, hybrid work models allow the combination of remote work and on-site work. As workers keep demanding remote work relentlessly, many employers have adopted a hybrid work model. This allows employees to work from home some days of the week. The number of days spent at the office is determined by the employer and the type of industry.