By Debbie Gregory.
The COVID-19 pandemic, with all the necessary social-distancing and isolation measures, has pushed businesses in almost every industry. The pandemic has pushed businesses to allow some, or their entire, workforce to work remotely.
The various collaborative technology platforms such as Zoom, Slack, and Microsoft Teams have all seen a dramatic increase in users and a huge demand for their services. This increase in demand for these services is not likely to go away once the pandemic ends or abates. Among younger business owners and workers, remote working is being viewed in an increasingly positive light.
Earlier this year, 500 small business owners across the United States were surveyed about remote work and below are the findings of those surveyed:
A.) Small Business Owners are More Open to Hiring Remote Workers:
Currently about 55% of small business owners in the United States would consider hiring remote workers after the pandemic ends or abates. This is a significant increase from the previous year (2019) as only thirty-six percent would have considered it at that time
B.) Age Determines How Remote Work is Viewed:
Small business owners, aged 18-34, stated they have used remote workers in the past twelve months; Sixty percent would consider hiring remote workers in the future; Eighty percent or approximately one half of the small business owners aged 18-34 surveyed stated that they feel remote workers are more productive than on site office workers; while only thirty-five percent of small business owners aged 35-44 and a mere fifteen percent of small business owners aged over 65 stating remote workers are more productive than office workers. Additionally, small business owners aged 18-34 also feel the quality of remote workers to be higher than office workers, forty-three percent as compared to sixteen percent of small business owners who are 65 or older.
C.) All Generations are Concerned About Remote Work Challenges:
All age groups surveyed agreed that working remotely comes with a great deal of benefits for both the employees and the employers. However, there were also a significant number of concerns about the challenges presented by moving the workforce from the office environment to the home.
Concerns such as:
- Employees are being distracted
- Employees spending too much time on personal matters during work hours
- The ability to effectively manage employees remotely
- Information safety and security
- Technology requirements, service, and upgrades
D.) Most Small Business Owners (in all age groups) Were Already Working Remotely Themselves:
Even though the older generations of business owners are hesitant to allow their employees to work remotely, many were already doing it themselves. In fact, approximately sixty-five percent of small business owners work remotely. It is not surprising that younger business owners are more likely to be working from home, eighty-six percent; the older generations are not far behind with fifty-four percent working remotely.
As employers and employees alike experience the benefits of working remotely, more companies will inevitably decide to make this leap. In the future, once the pandemic has finally passed or abated, there will be a dramatic rise in fully remote companies without any physical workplace. This will also dramatically change the commercial real-estate market especially in very high rent areas on both coasts.
Since so many VAMBOA members are working remotely, we want to extend to our members and friends, significant discounts up to 50% from our Dell, our technology partner. Here is a link to check them out:
