The prevalence of office mandates among knowledge workers is striking, with a recent study from Atlassian showing that a staggering 82% are currently subject to some form of requirement to work in person. Intriguingly, nearly half of those who venture into the office do so purely due to these company directives, rather than a genuine desire to be present.

Lamentably, employers seem to be falling short when it comes to equipping their workforce for successful remote work. Despite a significant number of individuals still working remotely at least once a week—comprising a substantial 71%—merely half of these workers (51%) attest to their company providing them with the necessary tools for remote collaboration.

Furthermore, among the subset of workers who are granted access to such tools, an alarming 26% report lacking the appropriate tool or receiving insufficient training to wield them effectively.

Remote benefits

On a brighter note, those respondents who possess the option to work remotely without any in-person mandates reveal a multitude of real-life benefits stemming from this flexibility. Within this group, 56% expressed that they were able to allocate more time to fostering relationships with friends and family, while 49% devoted additional hours to prioritizing physical fitness and self-care.

Additionally, 37% were able to pursue new hobbies or interests owing to their freedom from the requirement to be physically present in the office for a designated duration. Interestingly, this newfound flexibility has resulted in significant life changes for some individuals, as 20% opted to relocate to different cities, 16% took the plunge and purchased a house, and 12% embraced the opportunity to start a family.