Rosie Harman — April 29, 2019 — April 29, 2019
Three out of four teams will employ remote or offsite workers. This is according to a recent workplace report from Upwork. We are seeing an increasing trend in flexibility and remote team members over the last few years. This is thanks to globalization and the internet, both meshed tightly together. There are new software solutions emerging. These SaaS aim to help businesses manage remote teams with efficiency.
The world is becoming an increasingly smaller place. Businesses don’t just have access to global markets. They also have access to all the diverse global talent in any part of the world.
Remote Teams and Global Talent
Why is this shift happening now of all times? We have the younger generation of Millennials and Generation Z to thank. Both generations make a point of not conforming to tradition. They are constantly on the lookout for better, more efficient ways of doing things. Over 20% of global managerial professionals belong to these younger generations. While this might not seem like a lot, they are already making their presence felt in the workplace. The workplace of today is much more flexible and dynamic than traditional brick and mortar offices. Experts estimate that by 2028, more than 70% of all businesses will have remote employees on their payroll.
With a shifting employer landscape, change is inevitable. The modern workforce places a lot of emphasis on flexibility. More and more employers now offer teams the option to work remotely. This may involve either a few days a week or even a fully off-site team. The internet, and particularly platforms like LinkedIn and UpWork have helped with the change. They have allowed employers to reach out to talent on a global scale. As more businesses jump on board this trend, the modern workplace has begun a shift towards remote teams and workforces. Better software is emerging to help employers efficiently manage their diverse, remote teams. This blog explores:
- Why Flexibility is Important for Modern Workplaces
- The Growing Trends of Remote Workforces
- The Workforce of Today
- The Advantages of A Remote Team to Employers
- The Possible Future
Let’s take a quick look at each area in turn below.
Why Flexibility is Important for Modern Workplaces
The modern workplace is all about flexibility. With the younger generations now beginning to hold management positions, change is inevitable. The modern workplace needs to adapt to this growing need for flexibility in the workplace. With Gen Z and Millennials in charge, young managers are three times more likely to prioritize flexible workplaces. Modern workforces comprise of members that may be geographically disparate. Workers may be offsite but still, offer value to the business. To tap into the growing global pool of talent, businesses need to adapt to flexible, remote workers.
The Growing Trends of Remote Workforces
As these generations start holding leadership roles, they exert their influence. They begin to reshape the workplace according to their changing styles. Even now, many professionals with a high market demand place emphasis on flexibility. Younger writers, developers, designers, and SEO professionals are all more likely to freelance. This fulfills their needs for flexible work schedules. Moreover, these professionals will soon have managers who think around the same lines. Many may even go more than prioritizing flexibility and demand it. Even now, more businesses are beginning to hire remote employees.
The Workforce of Today
Over 48% of Millennial and Gen Z managers are at least director level or above. This puts them in a powerful position to exert their influence on the modern workplace. By 2028, more than 58% of all director-level managers and higher will be from these generations. This means we can expect to see an even bigger shift towards hiring remote workers and flexible global teams. Over 69% of young managers consider letting employees work remotely as a suitable option. More and more young managers are beginning to add diverse global talent to their teams and managing them flexibly.
The Advantages of a Remote Team to Employers
Working remotely is great for employees. But what does it offer employers? In a shifting employment landscape, there are a number of advantages to having a remote team. One of the biggest is lower costs for employers. For one thing, if most of your team work remotely, you don’t need to rent large office spaces. And it’s not just the rent you save. You have to contend with lesser utility costs and overheads.
There is also another significant advantage to having remote teams. Allowing your teams the option to work remotely offers them reduced stress and more satisfaction. This leads to a lower employee turnover rate, which most managers see as a plus. Employees these days place job satisfaction above benefits and even salaries in some cases. When employees see an employer offering flexibility with options to work remotely a few days a week, job satisfaction goes up. This makes them less likely to leave the employer for other prospects.
The Possible Future
With a changing global environment and workplace, we can reasonably assume that these trends will continue. Workplaces increasingly demand more skillful talent that can work independently. When younger managers can’t find the talent they need locally, they are more likely to hire freelancers to work offsite. Organizations will continue to hire talent, no matter what geographical limitations are in place. As more young leaders start taking over the business world, more businesses will begin adapting to a flexible workplace. This means more businesses with remote workers as part of the team. To reiterate, 3 out of 4 teams will have remote workers as part of the team by 2028.
With excellent collaboration tools always launching, things are moving ahead faster. With such tools, managing remote workforces will continue to get easier. By keeping in step with changing times and adapting to growing diverse needs, businesses will continue to evolve. This agility and flexibility are essential if businesses want to survive in the coming years. It will allow them to acquire the talent they need and innovate the workplace in the years to come. In the meantime, stay tuned to this blog for more updates of workplace trends and changing business styles in the coming decade.
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