Key Points

• The model for successful remote work was proven during the pandemic. 
• 65% of respondents in a survey indicated that remote work is preferred. 
• A hybrid work model is likely the future for many organizations. 

When you think about the sudden rise of remote work, something about it feels like the future of all work. Although CEOs and corporate executives might be kicking and screaming that remote work isn’t the future, the idea that you can work anywhere worldwide if you have a laptop and a strong Wi-Fi connection is no longer a pipe dream. 

Rest assured that this is a reality for millions now. In some roundabout way, the pandemic did the remote work world a favor by showing not only how companies can thrive with remote workers but also how strong the work-life balance can be when you aren’t tied to a desk, fighting traffic, and trying to avoid small talk with your chatty coworkers. 

What Is Remote Work? 

As remote work has evolved over the last few decades, it has undoubtedly undergone a significant transformation, with the last few years becoming some of the most meaningful. The result is that remote work is now more clearly defined than ever. 

Fully Remote

There are three types of remote work available. The first and most beloved by millions of workers is the idea of going “Fully Remote.” This means you have no office, and your tasks are done from home, a coffee shop, or halfway around the world. 

Work From Home

Similarly, you have the “Work From Home” option, meaning you are likely working from your home office. There is no question that the line for this blurs very much with being “Fully Remote,” and the reality is that they are almost the same thing. However, working from home might mean your company has some additional benefits, like giving you a stipend to help set up a home office. 

Hybrid Work

Last but not least, you have “Hybrid” work, a balance between “Work From Home” and working at the office. This might mean you are assigned to the office a few days a week, while the other days, you are free to work from home (or anywhere). As it stands today, this is the scenario company executives are getting behind to help balance the preferences of a workforce with the needs of a business. 

Why Remote Work Is Popular

To understand remote work, you must know why it’s become such a popular way to work and has gone from a nice-to-have to a must-have for millions in the workforce. Accordingly, the American Opportunity Survey performed by McKinsey and Company says that 87% of those surveyed will choose flexible work when it’s an option. 

The biggest reason for this result is the idea of a healthier work-life balance. When you can work from home, even on a hybrid schedule, you have a better work-life balance to help manage childcare and other family obligations. 

Additionally, you can work anywhere, whether at home near the office or hundreds of miles away. Remote work eliminates the idea that you must move for a job and requires only an internet connection and a phone signal. 

Of course, who can ignore the idea that remote work means no more commutes? The many hours saved every week by not sitting in a car means less stress and more productivity. The hour(s) you are spending in a car can be better used to respond to emails. Consider that the worldwide average around remote work is 72 minutes of commute time, while the United States averages around 55 minutes saved every day by not having to commute to work. 

Employee Benefits

Employers have learned why remote work is popular because many are attracting the best and brightest candidates in the job market. First and foremost, they have realized that organizations can save thousands per year for every employee working remotely in real estate savings. 

Flex Jobs indicates that corporate savings can be between $4,000 and $10,000 for every employee who doesn’t work in an office. Better yet, if employers are wise, they can use these savings to help attract top talent looking for remote work but living multiple states away. This means anyone building a company in Silicon Valley can look for the best job candidates anywhere in the world without having that individual move to a high-cost-of-living area that might otherwise stop them from taking the role. 

Last but certainly not least, remote work often means higher employee retention. Training new team members costs a lot, and the hiring process is expensive as time is involved while productivity is lost. As a result, remote work means you can keep your talent longer, which means more money for the bottom line. 

Remote Work Trends

When you think about remote work and what it takes to shift companies large and small to the idea that it can be successful, it has allowed for developing industry-agnostic trends. 

Hybrid Work

The single most notable trend around remote work today is undoubtedly the belief that remote work is the future. This blended approach between in-office and working from home (or anywhere) is the best of both worlds. You have employees with more flexibility to schedule appointments and navigate childcare, while companies have employees working collaboratively in an office multiple times a week. 

This model enables collaboration and increases creativity, which many employers fear is reduced through remote work. However, employees still benefit from commuting less, so some give and take on both the employee and employer sides has helped hybrid work become a leading trend. 

Flexible Schedules

Another big positive for employees with remote work is the ability to create a flexible schedule. This doesn’t mean the traditional 9 to 5 for remote work is becoming less central to business, only that some employees are now rising early to get as much done before 9 AM and then picking work back up in the evening. 

What employers are learning is that employees are better able to meet deadlines with flexible schedules. This is a case-by-case basis for employees and their managers to have this level of flexibility, but it is most certainly becoming a trend. 

Global Workforce

As we enter the second month of 2025, one trend that looks to become increasingly popular in remote work is the globalization of the workforce. This trend speaks to a number of the points already discussed in this article, but allowing employers to find the best talent anywhere in the world has some significant benefits. 

The most significant benefit here is that employers have cost-saving opportunities to tap into talent markets that otherwise might not have been considered before remote work rose to prominence over the last few years. The bottom line is that global boundaries have been destroyed in favor of companies hiring the best talent they can find, regardless of their geographic location. 

Collaboration Tools

It won’t surprise anyone to learn that email no longer applies to many situations. As a result, tools like Zoom, Slack, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams have given rise to advanced collaboration tools. These platforms allow for advanced collaboration in a way that email doesn’t make possible. 

To advance these systems, they have all added AI to help make scheduling, reminders, and task priorities even more flexible for anyone using these software tools. The benefit is that systems have grown to be used by millions of businesses and hundreds of millions of employees. This virtual assistant capability is now the norm, with every new software tool enhancing remote work. 

Freelance Work

As employees have become significantly more interested in flexible schedules, moving into freelance and contract roles has become an attractive career option. The number of Americans who freelance increased from 59 million in 2021 to 73 million in 2023, which speaks directly to this rise as a trend. 

Websites like Fiverr and Upwork have helped boost this idea, and in many ways, people are doing more work on their own and bringing on multiple clients than they were working for a single employer. However, the most crucial aspect is that freelance work can be done anywhere worldwide so long as deadlines are met. 

Mental Health Benefits

In 2025, you can fully expect that companies will prioritize employee well-being and mental health. Even though remote work offers excellent flexibility and an opportunity to improve the work-life balance, carefully dancing between a personal and professional life can lead to stress and burnout. 

The result is that companies, at least the good ones that genuinely care about their employees, are introducing wellness initiatives. These might include flexible schedules but also mean increased mental health resources and virtual check-ins to promote employee inclusion and reduce any isolation that might set in from running. 

Even providing employees with a small fund to help them create ergonomic setups in their home offices can promote employee mental health and well-being. 

Holding Out For Remote Work

A recent FlexJobs survey showed that 65% of respondents wanted to work remotely and full-time. Because of this, individuals who are in the market for a new job are now holding out for remote work opportunities. This has two downsides: the employee may have fewer options as some companies only look at potential employees willing to come into the office, even if it’s a hybrid model. 

Separately, those looking for work may find themselves in a situation where they find a dream role but cannot apply because the site requires them to be on-site. This situation plays out repetitively across LinkedIn, where there are consistent postings about job descriptions that confuse hybrid and remote work. 

Other Useful Tools and Concepts

Many tools are available if you want to learn more about remote work. You might want to start by looking at the deep level of statistics provided by the US Career Institute that helps show why the rise of remote work is here to stay. The numbers speak for themselves, and everything from commuting to mental health will significantly affect future career decisions. 

Additionally, you should learn more about the hybrid lifestyle and what it could mean for your potential career direction. There is a better-than-good chance this will come up as you look for your next opportunity, so understanding the hybrid model and its pros and cons will help you make a more informed decision about your future. 

Conclusion 

As much as you might need to drag some employers kicking and screaming, remote work is here to stay. Even though the idea of remote work will be tweaked to meet the needs of individual employers, resistance is futile. Of course, the benefit for employers is access to a much larger talent pool, which can mean more productivity and a boost to the bottom line. 

The image featured at the top of this post is ©Maples Images/Shutterstock.com.