Half of us work remotely – when will the rest catch up?

While the chief executive of a global internet company may recently have banned company employees from home working, new research by global workplace provider Regus shows that half the world's workforce is now productively enjoying flexible working.

The 2013 Regus Global Economic Indicator reveals that professionals who are chained to the office desk will soon be the minority. Regus' research, canvassing over 26,000 business managers across 90 countries, found that 48 per cent now work remotely for at least half their working week.

Key global findings:

• 55% say that seamless remote management is an achievable goal, but only if managers undergo special training
• 48% work remotely for half the week or more
• 54% consider trust an important issue
• 37% of companies use reporting systems to monitor mobile employee efficiency
• 43% use video communication between managers and employees
• 39% believe remote management helps maintain a more professional relationship

Some chief executives may worry about motivating and managing staff at a distance. But in the Regus survey, 55 per cent of respondents said they believed effective management of remote workers was perfectly achievable, and a significant portion of businesses are bringing increasing rigour to managing their remote staff.

Commenting on the research, Regus CEO Mark Dixon says: "Flexible working is a winner for all concerned when the management team takes the lead. The business people we speak with tell us that trust and freedom play a key role in remote management, and once these are in place the benefits are clear for all to see: greater productivity, improved staff retention and lower operating costs."

Regus' survey shows that, among the countries analysed, more than a third of companies globally (37 per cent) use specific efficiency-monitoring reporting systems, while 43 per cent of remote managers use video calls to communicate with their teams.

US health insurer Aetna, a thought leader in the field, has added training courses to the mix so remote workers and their managers can be brought up to speed on effective flexible working methods. Of Aetna's 35,000 employees, 14,500 do not have a desk.

The flexible work experience can have a particular value for younger workers. Thirty-seven per cent of respondents believe that junior employees become more responsible through remote working.

In addition, there is a perception that flexible working is shaping a new kind of interaction between line managers and their team members. Thirty-nine per cent of respondents think that remote management helps maintain a more professional relationship.