Remote Work 2 Years Later: What We've Learned
After more than two years, the view from home offices might not have changed. But much about the day-to-day of remote work has.
When the pandemic began, one of the biggest collective changes was that nearly all but essential workers found their offices and homes became one. At the time, we looked at how this exploded many of the myths that had surrounded the impossibility of largely remote workforces, and after a year had gone by, we fully realized some of the short-term and long-term challenges of working from home. Today, we're facing new ones, as companies and their employees struggle with the new normal.
Once the nation had the opportunity to get vaxxed and boosted last summer and many local COVID-related mandates were dropped, it seemed offices would soon teem with employees. But after waves of Delta and Omicron variants, plans were pushed back and many workplaces braced themselves for an indefinitely remote future.
This uncertainty has led to a haphazard situation for many companies and a confusing one for employees. Some employees have taken their first steps back into the office, either part of the time or full-time. Others have either moved too far away to go back or have deemed a commute unworthy of their time or money, especially given rising gas prices.
The 2022 Microsoft Work Trend Index reported that 50% of mid-level managers said their companies are making plans to return to in-person work five days a week in the year ahead, but 52% of employees are considering going hybrid or remote.
Tech companies have delayed return-to-office dates many times over, but more solid plans are being enacted this spring. All eyes are on the big four—Amazon, Apple, Google, and Meta (Facebook)—as smaller companies look to
Read more on pcmag.com
