How Remote Work Has Impacted the Global Employee Experience

New research of global employees demonstrates a positive connection between remote work and employee satisfaction, as well as the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I).

According to a global survey of 1,250 employees working in companies of more than 250 people regarding the increased adoption of remote work and its impact on employee experience, more employees reported feeling happier about their jobs since working remotely. Forty-eight percent of employees said that working remotely has positively impacted their perception about work as they reportedly feel happier about work, while only 11% feel less happy.

Many of us now know that remote work is here to stay in some way, whether it’s 100% remote workforces or a hybrid model. According to the survey, 63% of companies will make remote work a permanent fixture, which has employees responding in a positive way. But no matter how work shifts, it’s important for employees to feel that their voices are being heard and, according to the survey, 34% of employees stated that they feel their voice matters more since the remote work shift.

Another important factor for a positive employee experience when remote working, according to the survey, is work-life balance: half of all respondents reported that work-life balance is a key factor to their positive employee experience. Coming in second was “being part of a team” (41%) and third was “having the right tools/equipment for the job” (38%).

Maintaining a culture of connection in global, remote teams

Being part of a team in the new world of remote work often means working in a distributed global workforce with your fellow colleagues reporting from different countries and time zones. While respondents enjoy being part of a team, it doesn’t come without its challenges, as “scheduling across time zones” was the top challenge according to the survey.

Despite the positive impact remote work has had on employees, 32% of respondents reported that remote work has caused them to feel less connected to their colleagues. When it comes to company culture, additional research shows that that companies can and should be cultivating a sense of employee belonging, which has led to a 56% increase in job performance, a 50% drop in turnover, and a 75% reduction in sick days.

DE&I is critical to the employee experience

Cultivating employee belonging also means boosting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) efforts across the organization. Not only is it a strategic business imperative, but it’s also what employees value: of the surveyed employees who reported their desire to stay at their current company for more than four years, team diversity was their top-reported benefit.

Worldwide ERC®’s new research report on DE&I demonstrates that senior HR leaders have taken notice of the importance of DE&I and are taking action. Ninety-eight percent of survey participants reported that their organization has a DE&I strategy in operation, while companies are taking concrete steps to implement DE&I-related policies at every level, with more than 88% of senior HR leaders reporting direct funding and resources committed to specific activities and programs reinforcing a larger DE&I strategy. As companies continue to shape their remote work policies, strategies that consider DE&I, work-life balance, and global communication will be key to positive employee engagement.

Registration for the 2021 Global Workforce Symposium is Now Open!

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