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Remote work improved business performance during pandemic, GAO says

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Summary

The GAO released a report on August 11th which found that telework generally improved worker productivity and business performance in 2020 and 2021. The report found that the percentage of workers who teleworked for most of the week more than tripled from 5.7% in 2019 to 17.9% in 2021. The long-term effects of telework are difficult to measure, however, due to factors such as workforce attrition, potential collaboration challenges, and cost savings from reduced office space needs. The report also found that the increase in telework was concentrated among workers with higher earnings and education levels, and in certain occupations. The GAO will continue to examine telework in the U.S. in upcoming reports, which will focus on public policies, long-term effects, and other issues.

Q&As

What were the findings of the U.S. Government Accountability Office report released in August 2021?
The U.S. Government Accountability Office report released in August 2021 found that telework generally had a positive impact on worker productivity and firm performance in certain sectors.

What were the trends in telework from 2010-2021?
The trends in telework from 2010-2021 showed that the percentage of workers who teleworked for most of the week more than tripled from 5.7% in 2019 to 17.9% in 2021, and those who teleworked for any portion of an average workday increased from around 24% in 2019 to 38% in 2021.

What is the impact of telework on worker productivity and firm performance?
Studies reviewed by GAO found that telework generally had a positive impact on worker productivity and firm performance in certain sectors.

How has the increase in telework affected certain occupations and workers?
The increase in telework was concentrated among workers with higher earnings and education, as well as in certain occupations. About 28% of workers in management and related occupations primarily worked from home in 2021, as compared to 7.5% of workers in service occupations.

What are the benefits of maintaining remote work, and how can employers create flexible and supportive environments?
The benefits of maintaining remote work include talent acquisition and retention, productivity, and lower overhead costs. Employers can create flexible and supportive environments by prioritizing employees’ interests, providing employee independence, fostering collaboration, and having flexible work policies.

AI Comments

👍 This article provides a great overview of the effects of remote work on worker productivity and business performance, as well as how to create successful remote cultures.

👎 Despite the generally positive findings, the article fails to address the potential negative effects of remote work, such as workforce attrition and collaboration challenges.

AI Discussion

Me: It's about how remote work improved business performance during the pandemic, according to a report from the Government Accountability Office. The article also talks about how teleworking has increased, the impact it has had on productivity and business performance, and potential long-term effects.

Friend: That's really interesting. It's great to see that remote work has had a positive impact in these areas. But I'm curious about the long-term effects.

Me: Yeah, the article mentions that it's difficult to measure the long-term effects since some factors like attrition, collaboration challenges, and cost savings from reduced office space needs are not yet measurable. It also found that the increase in telework is more concentrated among workers with higher earnings and education, as well as in certain occupations. So there could be some potential implications for those who are not able to benefit from remote work as much.

Action items

Research and implement flexible and supportive remote work policies to ensure employee satisfaction and productivity.
Monitor employee attrition and collaboration challenges to measure the long-term effects of remote work.
Utilize the American Community Survey and the American Time Use Survey to track telework trends and growth.

Technical terms

Telework: Working from home or a remote location, usually using a computer and other digital tools.
Attrition: The gradual reduction in the size of a workforce due to resignations, retirements, and other factors.
Collaboration: Working together with others to achieve a common goal.
American Community Survey: A survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau that collects data on the population, housing, and economic characteristics of the United States.
American Time Use Survey: A survey conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics that collects data on how people spend their time.
Talent Acquisition: The process of finding and hiring qualified employees.
Talent Retention: The process of keeping qualified employees in an organization.
HR Leaders: Human Resources professionals who are responsible for managing the recruitment, training, and development of employees.
On-Site Work: Working at a physical location, such as an office or factory.
Employee Retention: The process of keeping employees in an organization.
Flexible Work Policies: Policies that allow employees to work outside of traditional office hours or locations.