Work from home trends in 2021It is predicted that work from home trends will increase in 2021, as there are many jobs now being offered remotely. The recent Coronavirus pandemic has been a contributor to this trend.

Lockdowns, cessation measures, and strict measures that were enforced compelled companies to adopt this concept in order to keep their employees safe. Telecommuting is now the preferred mode of working. We, therefore, need to explore some of the “Work from home trends in 2021” that will shape the workplace environment this year.

 

remote work trends

As expected, there are many emerging trends in 2021. Getting to know them will be vital in ensuring that remote work at home is a success! One work-from-home trend that will be predominant in 2021 is the increase in online networking opportunities. This has happened because of the growing use of digital platforms.

Also, 2021 will witness a rapid increase in the number of work-from-home jobs and roles. In addition, professions that are not ‘telecommuting friendly’ face a possibility of a rise in unemployment. There is also expected to be a surge in communication tools and solutions such as Zoom and Google Meet. Business leaders also expect an increase in demand for productivity tracking tools and platforms that improve teams working together.

 

One major feature that will be prevalent across the work from home programs is increased automation of operations. Many firms will aim to digitize almost all aspects of their operations. The reasons will be to minimize the possibilities where people can come into contact with each other.

This, coupled with the other evolving trends, is set to help in the fight against the relentless scourge that is the Coronavirus pandemic. These trends are set to play a central role in doing the work from the home program a success.

In this post, we shall highlight some of the most valuable work remote work trends that are set to define the year 2021. They will not only shape the future of remote work but also will affect both the professional and personal lives of millions of people worldwide.

Some companies such as Twitter and Shopify have even pledged to embrace the work from home arrangements permanently. Here are some of these remote work trends that are set to dominate 2021.

 

1. More Companies Will Adopt a Mix of Both Remote Working and ‘On-site’ Working

 

Mix of Both Remote Working and ‘On-site’ Working

Many companies are set to adopt a ‘fusion’ or both on-site and remote working arrangements. Harsh economic times have made commuting to and from work more expensive. The prices of gas have been hiked exponentially.

The companies that were used to providing transport for their staff have also noted this rising expense in their budgets. This is one of the main reasons that have increasingly made more office workers open to working from home programs.

When you factor in the increasing cost of living, working from home looks like more bearable for many employees. For management teams, the decision to go with a ‘fusion of the two’ will be the way to go.

 

The social distancing rules will require that fewer employees work in the traditional office while others are doing remote work. With this arrangement, companies have also seen this as a silver lining. They will be able to take office spaces that are considerably smaller and thus spend less on rent. They will also spend less on the equipment in the office due to more remote workforce.

 

Remote companies without headquarters will continue to form. Many businesses take action already towards this goal. Many companies are considering extending the mix of remote and on-site onsite work. The result is a hybrid work method in the work place.

In-person meetings can be reserved for brainstorming sessions, introduce new products or team building exercises while remote days could provide individual attention in work areas. This will of course have an impact on the entire work environment.

Offices will be redesigned and reorganized by cutting back on the cubicles and creating more collaborative meeting space.

 

2. Increased Investment in Cybersecurity

 

Investment in Cybersecurity

Another important remote work trend is that information technology systems and infrastructure will witness increased investments. Most of the operations of companies globally will strongly rely on digital platforms. Companies value the security of their data.

The data that their staff needs to access and use in their work is often found online and can be easily breached. There will be an increasing need to protect their data and the privacy of their information.

A lot of investments will be made in 2021 towards ensuring that company data does not get hacked by criminals. This security will be to avoid hackers accessing client data and financial information that has seen many corporates and business leaders lose millions and ruin their reputation.

 

3. Metrics to assess work performance will change

Metrics to assess work performance will change

The shift towards the normalization of work from home programs will bring with it the need to alter the metrics used to assess performance. In the traditional office setting, performance was directly associated with the number of hours the staff put in their work.

The company setting usually has a fixed number of working hours that the employees need to stick to. There was also overtime hours factored in as well. Thus, the more hours the staff put into their work, the more they were perceived as being equally more productive.

However, with remote working increasingly becoming the order of the day, using the hours to measure performance will no longer make sense. This is because the work-from-home programs are much more flexible when it comes to working hours.

Many remote workers now who work remotely are in charge of coming up with good working schedules on their own, despite the number hours they put in their work every day. What matters is that they are able to achieve and sustain the expected levels of productivity.

Therefore, 2021 may witness factors such as the ‘work completed, level of productivity, and ability to meet deadlines’ being used as metrics for measuring the performance of remote workers.

 

4. Investments Will Be Directed Towards Retraining Employees

 

Investments Will Be Directed Towards Retraining Employees

Increased remote working will cause a ripple effect in the form of increased automation in their operations. Most of the roles and jobs will predominantly require adequate skills and knowledge regarding artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Most of the working population, however, possess inadequate skills needed to efficiently handle the emerging roles. This will mean is that many companies will have to invest a lot of time and resources towards equipping their staff with the currently ‘in-demand skills’.

It will mean increased training of team members, especially those working remotely. Training will enable companies to achieve a more seamless shift into the increasingly digital world of doing business.

 

5. Increasing Virtual Socialization

Increasing Virtual Socialization

Remote working has proven to have a lot of advantages. There are reduced expenses both on the side of the staff and the company. However, there are several drawbacks.

One good example is the diminished level of interactions between employees and their colleagues. This is because everyone works alone from the comfort of his or her house.

2021 will seek to address this concern. As is common knowledge, humans are social beings. Therefore, this remote style of working in solitude may mentally affect remote workers and their well being negative.

Depression is one such issue that results from prolonged periods of working alone with little to no social life and activities. As a solution, there will be an emergence of many virtual socialization applications and social media features, all kinds of communication apps, and message forums.

More avenues that will allow more seamless video meetings will also be created in the year 2021.

 

6. Telecommuting ‘Unfriendly’ Professions Will Face Rising Unemployment Rates

 

Professions such as those in the information technology and business sectors are more open to shifting to digital operations. However, not all jobs have the capability to seamlessly assimilate a telecommuting approach into their operations.

Jobs that fall within the hotel, entertainment, and events industries will be hard-hit. This is because the roles and jobs found within this sector are best performed when done on-site.

These will, therefore, not be too welcoming to the concept of working remotely from home. In addition, the changing consumer behavior will also make industries such as the hotel and events industries be less conducive for business.

The result? Numerous layoffs and losses. This will be a major feature evident in such types of telecommuting unfriendly industries and sectors.

 

7. Webinars for everything will be on the rise

 

Webinars for everything will be on the rise

Webinars are a trend because they’re available easily. People today are more open to learning because of changes that happen in their work environment. When I was at work I would never sign up for an ‘electrode’ training course to learn new abilities.

Ever since the covid 19 pandemic, almost all training already have been performed by different online collaboration tools. That not helped to increase the knowledge workers have to carry out their work but also educated many in using these online tools to get trained.

Software development companies that focus on that niche will rise and create a new company culture of remote managers, remote teams, remote jobs, remote work, and online courses.

many organizations and also government agencies adopted this new normality already and will continue to do so.

 

8. More Personalized Home Office Spaces Will Be Created

 

Research shows, that 2021 will be the year that more and more people and companies embrace the work-from-home arrangements. Working from home means you must design and create the space you will be using as your home office.

This means that people will have the total freedom to set up their home office spaces whichever way they will deem fit. People will have the freedom to create a workspace that assists them in being more productive in their remote job.

Whether they will prefer to work using a desktop or laptop, the decision will be up to them. They will also be in a position to choose the type of furniture that they will find more comfortable. From their office chair to their table, their cabinet to their desk, the decision will ultimately rest with them.

2021 will witness a lot of this because many more people have been forecasted to join the work-from-home workforce. The remote employees will also have the privilege of selecting which network subscriber they deem most suitable to offer them Wi-Fi services.

Many people will have the privilege of creating a personalized home office space that works for them and is set up according to their tastes.

This has significant mental health benefits. The work life balance of most remote workers will be increase. And a significant number of full time remote workers will benefit from this.

 

9. Increased Focus on Health and Overall Wellness

Increased Focus on Health and Overall Wellness

 

In 2021, there will be an overall increase in the focus on health, fitness, and general wellness. Working remotely will give many people the chance to take care of aspects of their personal lives as well.

Most remote workers are better-placed to have healthy meals more frequently than they would at their traditional office.

Oftentimes, when you are at the office, you might eat junk food and snacks as a substitute for real food-perhaps to save time!

However, working from home will give many people ample time to make healthy meals.

Another important aspect of wellness that people will increasingly pay attention to is fitness. Since people are in charge of coming up with their own work schedules, they will set aside enough time to engage in workouts.

More employees that are working remotely will create and stick to their workout regimen in a bid to stay healthy. They will use their short breaks or free time to exercise their bodies and minds.

This is because people have increasingly become more aware of the benefits of having both a healthy body and mind. More and more remote work employee experience the benefit of taking care of their own personal health and well-being and at the same time see better productivity.

 

10. Increased Use of Social Media for Business

 

It is commonly believed in the business world that 2021 is expected to be the year in which many companies and businesses will increasingly use social media platforms as marketing tools.

Today, marketing professionals from around the world have recognized and acknowledged the power of social media platforms when used as channels of communication and avenues for marketing and advertising their products and services.

If the year 2020 marked the beginning of a massive shift towards the digital space, 2021 will aim to do one better!

Most companies will embrace the power of social media. Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter will be leveraged more effectively to create more brand awareness. Brands have recognized that their potential markets are found on social media platforms.

This is because millions of people spend a lot of time on these social media networks daily. Therefore, more companies will set up pages on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to interact with their potential customers.

Here, they will also have the enviable opportunity of introducing their branded products and services to the masses.

 

11. Virtual coffee sessions and informational interviews

 

Zoom calls have become popular with friends and family for social gatherings birthday parties or more. From a professional standpoint, Zoom is used for webinars, productive meetings, and lectures.

Another week I was invited to a virtual coffee date from a fellow who was keen to pick my brain on content creation topics. Of course, this experience is far different from meeting colleagues at the coffee shop. But in this ongoing pandemic, it is certainly a good

Although there is no coffee coming up it was interesting to meet someone I had never met before to share ideas and receive professional advice. In the past it may have seemed silly or bizarre but it has now just about passed on.

 

12. Digital slowmading will be on the rise

 

Digital slowmading will be on the rise

Digital nomading is the process to travel from one place to another in remote environments and keep a place home as long as you want. Some nomads move fast to see – a lot as possible with a known calendar of a year or six months to do a remote work trip – even to other countries – while staying busy with their remote work, without having a fix office space or fixed work hours.

Digital slowmading is the same concept – but moving at different speeds more and less. The result has been very promising – frontier closure without much notice has become commonplace and the visa conditions have changed.

This kind of traveling certainly will be a new remote work trend in 2021 and beyond. So look forward to taking off slowly (perhaps literally) and stop the typical mile and minute speed you may have already accustomed to.

 

13. The Rise of the Gig Economy

It’s not just Uber and Lyft drivers who are benefiting from the gig economy. More and more people are using sites like Fiverr, Upwork, TaskRabbit, and Gigwalk to find work that fits into their schedule.

This is a great option for people who want to work from home but don’t necessarily want to be tied down to one company or job. The future of work will be more flexible and more independent than ever before.

The future of remote work is going to be a mix of on-site and off-site work. The office will be where people come together and share ideas, but the work will get done remotely. It’s not about where you are; it’s about what you’re doing.

For example, if you need to have a meeting with someone in person, you can still do your work remotely. This is a trend that is already happening today. There are plenty of companies that allow their employees to work from wherever as long as they can work efficiently in their remote work.

 

14. The Future of Coworking Spaces

 

The number of people who work from home is increasing. This trend will only continue to grow, and by 2021, it’s expected that about 50% of the workforce will be working remotely. The future of coworking spaces is changing, too.

More people are looking for coworking spaces that are more like a home environment than a traditional office. Coworking spaces should also have more than just basic functionalities such as a kitchen, gym, or lounge space. They will become a work away from home go to when personal interaction is needed.

“In the future, coworking spaces will be more than just places to work. They’ll be a place for people to come together and collaborate on projects, share resources, and find jobs. They’ll also be a place to get a cup of coffee or have a meeting with someone.”

 

15. The Future of Productivity Apps

 

In 2021, the workplace might be more virtual than physical. We’re already seeing a trend in remote work, and it’s only going to increase. The way people work will change dramatically as well. People won’t have to go into an office to work on a project together.

They could just video chat or work from their own devices, which will make it easier for people to work remotely. This means that the future of productivity apps is going to be all about making collaboration easy and seamless.

 

16. Shared home offices

This year after moving together we started working out of the house as a part of our home and as part of our lives. We were convinced we needed a lot of ergonomics equipment so we felt comfortable and working perfectly. We also had to develop the ability to co-work in our office building.

Shared home offices are a great option for people in certain professions: writers, graphic designers, and other freelance professionals who work from home.

Shared offices are affordable, have all the resources you need to get your job done and provide a community of like-minded individuals. Plus, they’re a lot more fun than sitting at home all day!

 

17. The workforce will be more diverse

The workforce will be more diverse in 2021, with a greater percentage of women and people of color. Flexible work arrangements will be the norm, with employees being able to work from home or remotely.

Employees will also be able to switch between full-time and part-time work, and it will be possible to extend vacation time.

 

18. Rising Mental Health Issues Among Remote Workers

 

On the downside, mental health issues will rise. A remote worker lives a significantly different way of life than a colleague who leaves.

Distance working contributes substantially to various mental problems among workers. Work stable conditions cause fear within a group of workers and create insecurity.

Many premium health plans even not to provide for mental health problems so the burden of providing for such medical payments to the laborers themselves has remained solely at the moment.

A number of remote workers reporting insomnia and lack of focus even as they work from home in particular report a lack of numbness and irritability, sadness, fatigue, and ”connection.

 

19. Content creators will dominate work from home

Content creators will dominate work from home

Digital marketing is about content as we all know. It’s the content consumers want from a piece of news to video. Brands require better talents. Most of the work necessary to complete these jobs can be done remotely (and home-based), so as a matter of course it will happen more content creators.

Also, it is possible that they will start to work for a bigger company. But as people tend to work from home this will increase the chances that the businesses create more remote jobs.

In terms of jobs therefore a good majority of these jobs will be remote.

 

20. Remote work will be the new retirement

About 45% of Baby Boomers actually never saved for retirement. Those employees often decide they want to work again if they don’t want to sell back to the workforce or retire and go on jobs again. Working from home provides the flexibility that an office environment could not.

This also allows businesses to diversify their teams especially when experience is needed. Baby boomers are partnered with Gen Z employees to create a two-way mentoring relationship.

 

21. Jobs will be more specialized and less general

The workplace of the future will be more specialized and less general. What this means is that jobs will be more focused on one specific task, rather than a variety of tasks.

For example, a worker might be in charge of designing the company’s website, but not have to worry about the company’s marketing strategy.

The benefits of this trend are that it will create more opportunities for those who would like to do remote work.

 

22. Remote employees will be the new normal

The future of work is happening now. Already, many companies are embracing remote work, and the number of people who telecommute is on the rise.

As this trend continues, remote employees will see some changes in the coming years. Here are four ways remote workers will be impacted in 2021. Here is why:

More companies will offer remote work.

The number of companies that offer remote work is on the rise. As a result, more and more employees will be working remotely in 2021. Remote work offers many benefits for employees, including flexible hours and the chance to live anywhere in the world.

We’re now in the era of the remote worker. And according to a recent survey by Gallup, 40% of employees in the US are working remotely at least part-time.

That’s up from just 10% in 1995. The trend is also reflected in our annual list of the Top 100 Companies for Remote Jobs, which we just released. In 2021, more companies will embrace remote work.

Remote work will be more common in the US.

Remote work is on the rise in the US. According to Gallup, 43% of employees in the US were working remotely in 2018. That number is expected to grow to 50% by 2021. This shift is largely due to the convenience of remote work and its ability to reduce employee turnover.

Employees who work remotely are more likely to be engaged with their jobs and less likely to quit. Remote work also offers a greater degree of flexibility for both employers and employees who need to balance work with other responsibilities, such as parenting or caring for an elderly relative.

 

Remote work will be more common in Europe.

In 2021, remote work will be more popular in Europe than it is in the United States. In the US, remote work is primarily for millennials and older generations, while in Europe, it’s becoming a norm for all ages.

The European Union has been pushing for companies to offer employees the option to work remotely as an effort to reduce traffic and pollution. The EU has also been promoting the idea of working from home as a way to help people care for their children or elderly parents.

 

More companies will hire remote workers.

As more companies hire remote workers, the changes will be more significant. For one, there will be more of a need for remote-friendly offices. The working world is changing and many people are now choosing to work remotely.

The office of the future will have more flexible hours, more space that is designated for working from home, and better technology to help employees stay connected.

 

Final Thoughts

2020 was the year that we witnessed a transition into remote work programs. Every firm and business that was intent on surviving and coping amid the Coronavirus pandemic saw this as the way to go.

They recognized that remote work was the future of work and that it would be the lifeline that will assist businesses and companies to stay afloat. Covid-19 not only shaped peoples’ professional lives but even their personal lives as well.

The way people interacted with each other changed drastically as remote work started to become the new normal. The way people used to work was also greatly affected. Everyone had to adjust towards the new normal.

Though it will not been easy, 2021 will be graced with many different emerging trends. Knowing them will be critical towards ensuring that people can work much more effectively and efficiently from home.

As a result, the trends will go a long way into ensuring that remote working is a success in the long run!

The data collected so far clearly shows that remote work is here to stay. And the past year showed that home life and remote work can work out.

Of course, to work remotely is a big change for many of us. But the future of remote work is bright and will bring great opportunities for those who are will to adapt and embrace new ideas.