How Remote Work Supports Team Productivity

I was talking with a senior director in customer service recently and he shared his experience after two years of testing remote work. The results? A resounding YES, with some key insights along the way. Like anything, WFH comes with both benefits and challenges. But when implemented well, the benefits are hard to ignore: (this is the real data!) ✅ Absenteeism decreased by 24% – Employees who would have taken a full day off now request just an hour or two, benefiting both them and the company. ✅ Retention improved, turnover decreased – Less stress from commuting meant employees stayed in roles longer, reducing strain on hiring teams. ✅ Cost savings for employees – Gas, parking, and daily commuting expenses were significantly reduced, especially in high-cost states. ✅ Increased productivity – Call center employees' average talk time jumped from 4-5 hours to 6.5+ hours per day. ✅ Easier scheduling – No more “I’m not in the office at that time.” Meetings between East and West Coast teams became much smoother. ✅ WFH as an incentive – Employees who exceeded KPIs could remain remote, while those falling short returned to the office. This system was self-managing. ✅ Problem-solving skills improved – Without immediate access to coworkers, employees became more resourceful and independent, a crucial skill in customer-facing roles. ✅ Earlier start times – No commute meant employees were more willing to start at 6:00 or 7:00 AM, boosting efficiency. ✅ Expanded recruiting reach – With remote capabilities, they could hire top talent from anywhere, filling roles from the Bay Area to Texas and Florida. Of course, success didn't happen overnight. Investing in the right CRM and dashboards helped leaders effectively manage and support their teams. The takeaway? When done right, WFH isn’t just a perk, it’s a powerful business strategy. I don't think its for everyone or every company in every situation, but I personally appreciate it when this is my work view for a couple hours each day! How has remote work impacted your team? Good or bad, I’d love to hear your thoughts! 👇 #WorkFromHome #RemoteWork #Leadership #EmployeeRetention #FutureOfWork

Apparently working from home is still #controversial enough to warrant an ongoing debate… Interestingly, the debate isn’t: “WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO WITH ALL OF THIS LEASED OFFICE SPACE IN PRIME LOCATIONS?!?!” But instead: “Can employees be trusted to get their work done if left unsupervised?!” And the #RTO mandates (and justifications) are focused on efficiency, productivity and optimization. To that end, #Barron’s recently published an article on the impact of remote work on productivity. The article sites the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which stated that 1/3 of Americans worked from home in 2022 (+25% from 2019). However, the data also revealed that those WFH employees logged 2.5 hours less per day than those in the office. And hours worked = productivity! Right? RIGHT?! 🙄 Nah. Let’s break it down: 🕒 Time is Not the Sole Indicator of #Success: #WFH has highlighted that outcomes can't be measured by the number of hours logged. Because remote work allows employees to optimize their productivity - leveraging peak hours of focus and creativity - it leads to increased efficiency. Let's not forget that #quality output trumps #quantity output. 💡 Empowering #Efficiency with #Technology: We all work in #tech now, it’s become a seamless part of our everyday existence (and it’s only going to expand, I’m looking at you #AI). Don’t be scared, technology is a friend - making remote collaboration seamless and instantaneous. It also empowers us to connect with colleagues across borders, fostering diversity and new perspectives. By removing the physical barriers of the office, we create an environment where creativity and innovation #thrive. 💚 Nurturing #MentalHealth & #Wellbeing: WFH has also positively impacted mental health. The flexibility to create a personalized work environment, minimize commuting stress, and maintain a better work-life balance (lunch w/ kids/partners/pets) - all significantly affect our emotional wellbeing. 🌈 Embracing #Neurodivergence with #Inclusivity: Remote work champions diversity and inclusion, offering a level playing field for #neurodivergent workers (#ADHD 🙋🏻♂️ holla!). For those with different processing styles, the home environment allows for adaptations that may not be possible in a traditional office setup. Embracing neurodiversity not only enhances productivity, it fosters a more empathetic and understanding workplace. ⚖️ Striking the Perfect Work-Life Balance: Remote work empowers employees to better integrate their personal and professional lives. It enables workers to be present for life's key moments while staying dedicated to their careers. Feel free to come at me on any of the above - that’s a worthwhile debate IMHO - but let’s please stop making arguments for RTO by twisting arbitrary data to fit a false narrative. What do you think? Are you pro-RTO? Pro-WFH? Pro-hybrid? -- #remotework #flexiblework #diversityandinclusion #worklifebalance #returntooffice #workfromhome

Remote work didn’t ruin work. It revealed the parts that were already broken. In the office, you could get by without: → Documenting real processes → Communicating clearly and consistently → Thinking through async vs "another quick meeting" → Creating real transparency around who’s doing what and why But remote work? Remote work doesn’t let the BS slide. If your systems are weak, your communication sloppy, or your expectations fuzzy... It shows. Fast. Here’s the reality: - 59% of employees say poor communication is their biggest barrier to productivity. - 40%+ of remote workers say unclear processes slow them down more than any tool or technology issue. - Teams with strong documentation practices are 23% more likely to hit their performance goals. Remote work forces teams to work better: Clearer. Sharper. Smarter. And honestly? That’s exactly what companies should have been doing all along. That’s why conferences like Running Remote matter. Because the future of work isn't about where you sit. It’s about building systems strong enough that location doesn't matter anymore. Alignment. Clarity. Connection. That's the real future of work. The week is upon us...Running Remote starts now!!!! Sources: 1. Pumble Workplace Communication Statistics 2023 2. GitLab Remote Work Report 2021 3. Buffer State of Remote Work 2023 #RemoteWork #DistributedTeams #RunningRemote #InternalComms #KnowledgeManagement