The Future of Remote Work Remains Unknown

Kenne LaChelle looking over work documents.

Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, it looks as though life is beginning to go back to ‘normal’. Students are beginning to start school in person, masks mandates are becoming more relaxed, and business is booming in popular cities around the U.S. However, for Americans working from home, this may be a permanent schedule.

Employers such as LinkedIn and General Motors are allowing employees to work from home full-time. Amazon and Google are allowing employees to work a flex schedule to fit the comfort of their employees.

Now that many Americans have had a year of experience to adjust and find a rhythm that works, some say they would prefer a more flex schedule. A flex schedule would include 3 days in the office, and two days working from home.

Business Insider reported that 45% of working Americans were feeling burnout by April of 2020 due to a heavy workload while 35% of working Americans reported that they were able to establish a healthy work-life balance.

According to the Washington Post, over 70% of Americans have received at least one does of the Covid-19 vaccine. With more Americans receiving the vaccine, more employees are feeling comfortable returning to office. General Motors (GM) employee Kenne LaChelle recalls a day on the life of working remotely.

Kenne LaChelle is the Coordinator for Global Product Development Communications at GM. LaChelle recently began working fully remotely for the first time in her career.

“After accepting an offer for the job, I was content with knowing the position is fully remote,” LaChelle said. “I began my day at 8am and end for the day at 5pm five days a week. I love the freedom to plan my day and work in my own space as opposed to being forced to go in the office during the pandemic.”

“Between 7-9am, I am preparing myself for my workday. During this time, I eat breakfast, take my dog Bella outside, and view my daily schedule,” LaChelle said. “The day seems to go by quickly after that, I normally have two to three zoom/conference calls throughout the day. I typically take my dog out for bathroom breaks four times during my work hours,” LaChelle added. “By five o'clock, I’m ready to step away from my computer and get a break for a while. Although it is a lot of sitting, I love working remote simply because it makes me feel safe being home and not in a crowded office.”

The future of remote work is still unknown, however, in a survey conducted by FlexJobs, 65% of employees want to continue remote work post-pandemic. It is uncertain how work will be conducted a year from now, but it is looking to be more of a hybrid schedule for all.