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66% of hybrid and remote managers say productivity has improved since adopting the new working model, and 98% now trust their team to work even on non-office days in new hybrid remote work research from Work Tech startup FlexOS.

FlexOS, which raised an oversubscribed 1 million dollar round in 2022 to solve the biggest hybrid and remote team management challenges, busts common myths about remote work in “Myths VS. Reality: Remote and Hybrid Managers Report High Productivity and Trust”:

–  66% of managers saw increased productivity, and 48.5% said productivity has ‘significantly improved.’ Only 2% saw a decrease in productivity. Managers said their own productivity has significantly improved (38%) and not decreased (96%)
–  74% of respondents would strongly prefer to continue working from home, and 15% would even consider looking for a new job if asked to return to the office full-time. 59% would return only if needed.
–  98% say they trust their teams to be productive on non-office days. Only one respondent (out of 200) said they didn’t.
–  Contrary to popular belief, 77% of managers find it easy, and 62% find it enjoyable or very enjoyable to manage remote teams.
–  Managers report that employee satisfaction and morale (60%) is a major benefit of remote work, alongside a reduction in commute time and stress (54%), improved work-life balance (53%), increased productivity (35%) and an expanded talent pool (30%.)

Productivity has significantly improved in hybrid and remote teams

Contrary to widespread skepticism, the survey findings demonstrate an overwhelmingly positive reality for managers embracing hybrid remote work. 

66% of randomly selected managers experience improved performance levels, of which 48.5% said productivity has ‘significantly improved.’ Only 2% saw a decrease in productivity.  

Productivity, how effectively an individual accomplishes a task, is highly debated in hybrid and remote working models. The results from this FlexOS survey align with studies by Microsoft and others that productivity doesn’t suffer from distributed work, but many still believe the opposite. The feared drop in productivity is primarily due to how they interpret productivity, says FlexOS CEO Daan van Rossum: “Measuring productivity has always been challenging, often relying on self-reporting or activity-based metrics that may not accurately reflect the desired productivity. This leads to “productivity paranoia” between companies and employees. The fact is, productivity isn’t a real challenge, and companies should embrace this.”

Trust in teams is equally high

The survey also reveals high levels of trust in hybrid and remote work environments. 

A remarkable 98% of managers said they’re confident in their teams’ abiliity to deliver results on non-office days, with 60% saying they trust their employees completely and 37% mostly. 

Managers’ trust is also supported by the fact that only 26% of hybrid and remote managers use time-tracking software, and 36% use productivity-tracking software. Most managers measure productivity by completed work, followed by regular check-ins. 

Key benefits and challenges: they’re very human

6 out of 10 managers agree that employee satisfaction and morale have improved. 54% tout the reduction in commuting-related stress, and 53% say improved work-life balance for team members is a key benefit.

Managers also highlight the ability to attract and retain top talent (18%) and access to an expanded talent pool with diverse skills (30%.) This sentiment echoes findings from distributed companies like Airbnb that they have become much more attractive to more people after moving to a more flexible work model. 

“Ultimately, I don’t believe CEOs can dictate how people work. The market will. The employees will. Flexibility will be the most important benefit after compensation.” – Brian Chesky, founder and CEO of Airbnb.

Asked what their largest challenges are in hybrid and remote team management, leaders answered distractions at home, a lack of face-to-face interactions, and technological or connectivity issues.  

While companies have used wellness programs (50%), knowledge-sharing initiatives (37%), virtual career development (36%), and more, what remote managers really want is more remote team management training (52%) and better technology (47%.) 

How about the office then?

Asked to return to the office full-time, 15% of employees would consider looking for a new job, and 59% would return if needed. Only 26% would happily return to the office. 

About the Study

The survey was conducted through a Pollfish panel of 200 hybrid and remote managers in the USA across all age ranges, seniorities, and industries. The survey ran in June 2023. Respondents were invited using double opt-in.

Media Contact
Company Name: FlexOS
Contact Person: Daan van Rossum
Email: Send Email
Country: United States
Website: https://www.flexos.work/