Many workers expected to stay at home – and continue to work.

 

While the shift to remote working has been swift, it may work so well that some employers may consider making it a more permanent way of working.

 

Findings of a recent Gartner survey revealed that nearly three quarters of US chief financial officers expect to move a number of previously on-site employees to remote working situations permanently post-COVID-19, in a move to cut commercial real estate costs.

 

The Gartner survey also revealed some significant trends in workplace practices in the wake of the pandemic. 

 

They include expanded data collection and the emergence of new top-tier employers. 

 

Gartner’s analysis shows that 48 per cent of employees will likely work remotely at least part of the time after the COVID-19 pandemic, compared to 30 per cent pre-pandemic. 

 

In fact, 74 per cent of CFOs intend to increase remote work at their organisation after the outbreak. 

 

Expanded data collection

 

Organisations have increased their passive tracking of employees as their workforce has become remote. 

 

According to Gartner,16 per cent of organisations are passively tracking employees via methods like virtual clocking in and out, tracking work computer usage and monitoring employee emails or internal communications/chat.

 

Emergence of new top-tier employers

 

As the labour market starts to return to normalcy, candidates will want to know how companies treated their workforce during the COVID-19 outbreak.