Reimagine work and office life after COVID

The unprecedented global events surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic have changed the world as we know it forever. A huge transition has reimagined the workplace, geographic constraints are now opportunities and remote working is becoming mainstream.

As a consequence, some people working from home have found remote work to be more productive, makes for overall happier staff and allows a company to tap into a global labour market.

Technology is ready to supplement this remote working trend, and workers have had to get up to speed really fast in video meetings, team chats, time-zone differences, home office setups - some companies are even providing a budget for home office equipment.

Remote work is freeing people up from the rigid constraints of the 9 to 5 office day and inviting innovation and creativity in solving workplace needs. It is an opportunity for existing companies to reduce their physical footprint, providing savings of around $11,000USD per remote employee, and hire from a diverse range of staff, skills and ideas.

A remote worker compliments the modern nature of agile teams with members performing specialized tasks in project work, and you can cast the net wider than ever to find the right person for the task.

Companies staffed with remote workers from diverse backgrounds can tap into a rare variety of opinions, and market insights from across the globe.

Working from home has already struck a chord with staff, with research finding productivity improvements, fewer distractions, increased focus, and overall less job stress from remote workers over office staff.

Are current employees restrained by an unproductive and costly office setup that would thrive in the more flexible working from the home office environment? What value was being generated from pre-COVID face to face meetings and communications and can they be replicated online? And how can working from home minimize distractions and politics that arise in the traditional workplace?

It has been proven employees working remotely respond positively to being able to spend more time with their loved ones, balancing work with family, study and their social lives with the ability to further specialize in an area of knowledge and work in a more productive, comfortable and productive way.

As well as exploring working options for current staff, the expanded remote workforce also offers an opportunity to bring in external and highly skilled contractors for project-based work.

Freelance and independent remote workers bring a level of best practice talent in specialist fields, their reputation relies upon being at the cutting edge of their industry and having the required certifications and qualifications on top of the latest methodology and knowledge.

There was already a widespread trend towards remote working before the COVID-19 hit. Those already familiar with the remote working environment have purpose-built setups, a more flexible availability than a desk-bound employee, are attuned to the tight turnaround required for project work and completing specific tasks to specified deadlines and have high levels of time management skills.

Having access to a multi-talented, global remote workforce enables businesses to move towards proactive specialization, operate with insight and presence in more markets and rethink their potential.

While there are numerous benefits for workers and businesses, there are some specific measures and concerns to adhere to for ensuring successful relationships with an external remote team. The correct classification of contractors is the main matter of contention and one that could prove costly for the employer in the long run.

You can alleviate that risk by adopting established contracting services to ensure the legality of the remote working partnership. Lano is a cloud-based tool that lets you hire, onboard, pay and manage your remote staff worldwide from a single location with all the contractor forms and invoicing tools you need.

With sound support and an innovative strategy, remote working can provide a platform for positive change, through adaptive benefits to current employees and a fluid means of dispersing workload and expertise.

Remote teams are able to generate a dynamic and agile business response and foster innovation in a rapidly changing world while empowering existing staff through a new diverse, collaborative digital world.