From Traditional to Remote

While many students cannot wait to get back to classes in person, many employees are a lot less eager to return to commuting and being out of the house for most of the day. Employees now working from home have reported increased energy levels, more productivity and an upsurge of overall happiness. In addition, working remotely has changed the way many parents are able to interact with their young children at home, adding much more flexibility into a working parent’s life.  

In fact, many companies are selling office space as it increasingly becomes out of date, given the circumstances. Many are exploring new accommodations for fully remote work or a hybrid between remote work and in person work.

Over the past months, employers have seen what they previously didn’t: that employees from all different industries and job titles can indeed work from home, and are even more productive in this remote work than when they were visiting the office each day. Would this possibly be because remote work allows for a more flexible, work-life balanced employee?

It does seem that way for local Austin advertising agency, Sherry Matthews Group, which has recently announced that they will be selling their office building in an approach to explore a hybrid telecommuting strategy for their workforce. This successful agency is one of many in the industry that has undergone a huge transformation, from traditional work in an office to a more flexible lifestyle for their team, citing a huge percentage of their employees preferring working from home.

Additionally, the agency cites another positive – the employees that the agency originally thought had to be in the office to be their most optimal are flourishing at home, and have truly increased efficiency and effectiveness. They do note, however, that they plan to still have access to a smaller space that will be available for important client meetings and will house various office supplies for employees. As we watch this transformation, this hybrid model may be the future for many more to follow.