The COVID-19 pandemic altered the fabric of the workplace in multiple ways, but one of the biggest changes was location—remote work, which used to be an anomaly, has become a norm. While sending employees to work from home has presented businesses with opportunities to save money that would have gone toward office spaces, the component of trust seems to be the biggest factor when it comes to employers deciding whether or not to bring their employees back into the office.
Trust is an essential element in the workplace, and especially in the employer-employee relationship. Micromanagement can be a common issue in the workplace, and with the rise of employees working at home—out of the sight of their bosses—this issue has undoubtedly seen an increase.
Treating Employees as Adults
Instead of trusting that their hires are respectable, hardworking, and trustworthy individuals who can complete their tasks on time and efficiently do their jobs, employers feel the need to oversee every move and check in at an unreasonable rate. Trust is the key to letting employees take ownership of their positions and deliver excellent results.
It’s important to remember the difference between micromanagement and mentoring. Micromanagement seeks to control employees and stifle their autonomy, not trusting them to be responsible adults who are capable of completing their work. Mentoring provides guidance and sets clear boundaries—and most importantly, respects employees. By mentoring employees, employers can equip them with the skills and confidence needed to make decisions that benefit the organization.
Benefits of Remote Work
It’s true that employers often have valid reasons for wanting to bring their employees back into the office. Emotional and physical interaction is limited with digital communication, and teams can often feel disconnected. However, as remote work steadily becomes more common, there are increasingly more ways to promote teamwork and comradery remotely.
Another argument employers often make for bringing employees back into the office is productivity. In their minds, how could their employees be more productive when they’re at home, surrounded by chores, television, roommates, family members, etc.? However, this assumption is not factually the case. Several studies have proven that on average, remote employees are 47% more productive.
Remote employees have also reported that they are 22% happier than when they were in office, attributing this to a better work-life balance and a decrease in stress. Loyalty has also increased as employees say they are more likely to stay with their companies longer when they work remotely.
Fostering Collaboration
Instead of bringing employees back in office and ignoring the benefits of allowing them to continue working remotely, employers and organizations should invest in tools and strategies to promote remote teamwork. Online gatherings, virtual team-building activities, and remote training opportunities are all options that promote teamwork, build comradery, and allow employees to maintain their work-from-home status.
The Importance of Reciprocal Trust
Times have changed. The decision to work from home or in office shouldn’t be imposed on employees but should be a discussion and collaboration between them and their employer. With the evidence pointing to the benefits of remote work, employers need to take a step back and make a decision: is it better to have happy, loyal, satisfied employees who efficiently work from home, or bring them back into the office and risk dissatisfaction and a higher turnover rate? Trust is the key. Employers should trust their hires and believe the best in them. And let’s face it—if work isn’t getting done, employers will know! Instead of micromanaging and constantly checking in on the progress of work, employers should relax and trust that their adult employees are capable of getting the job done and doing the job well.
