Infographic: Staying Connected the Smart Way

Since 1995 (back when Google was a mere glint in Larry and Sergey’s eyes) there’s been a fourfold increase in the number of Americans working remotely. And it’s no coincidence that this dramatic rise has happened in step with technological advances such as the widespread rollout of broadband, mobile, and the cloud. The infographic below shows how most managers (two thirds of those surveyed) agreed that remote employees were more productive, and there’s a very good reason why that makes sense. It all comes down to empowerment.

And although empowerment has become a bit of an overused buzzword, it is very appropriate in this context, because most people like to think that they have some sort of say in how they spend their time. So paradoxically, the more time and effort you spend in controlling your employees’ every move (the out-dated “punch card” system which recently landed companies like Sports Direct into such controversy) the more unhappy — and less productive — they get. Trust them to organize their own time and accomplish the tasks you set in whatever way they judge best, and you instil a sense of pride and ownership that is actually much healthier for your bottom line as well as your workplace culture. Hence the fact that 80% of remote workers report higher morale and lower absenteeism. When you have the choice to work for yourself and you love what you do, you…