Four Years Later: Executives Reflect On The Pros, Cons, And Key Insights Of Remote Work

This month marks the fourth anniversary since the World Health Organization formally declared COVID-19 a pandemic. In the days following the March 11, 2020 announcement, employers sent nonessential staff to work from home, launching what would become the largest remote work experiment to date. Today, many organizations are still grappling with when, if, and how to bring them back. Meanwhile, for the vast majority of remote eligible workers (95%) the matter is settled; remote work, or some hybrid version of it, is here to stay.

According to the FlexJobs 2024 Remote Work Report, 63% of surveyed employees indicated they would accept a pay cut to maintain remote work, prioritizing this option over factors like salary, flexible schedules, work-life boundaries, and even having a supportive boss. Additionally, 17% of respondents would forfeit 20% of their salary to sustain remote work—a prospect welcomed by numerous CFOs eyeing cost-cutting potentials to minimize salaries and operational expenses. However, not all their C-suite counterparts share this sentiment. Facebook founder and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is among them, stating early-career engineers thrive when working in person. Similarly, decision-makers at companies such as Amazon, Goldman Sachs, and Tesla are implementing mandated workplace returns.

As we reflect on the four-year milestone since the massive transition, ESSENCE surveyed C-suite leaders on the pros, cons, and critical lessons learned since the remote/hybrid transition.

Empowering Black Women in the Workplace

In a 2020 ESSENCE survey, a troubling finding emerged: 45% of Black women reported experiencing racism most often in the workplace. The shift to remote work during the early stages of the pandemic unexpectedly provided relief, allowing many to perform their duties away from toxic office environments.

Dr. Angelica Geter, EVP of Strategy and Business for Black Women’s Health Imperative (BWHI), recognizes this stark reality.  “We looked at the experiences of Black women across the nation, and we knew there was a need for work environments that were safe from physical, emotional, and mental harm. We also knew that conventional DEI strategies were ineffective and did not meet the needs of Black women in the workplace,” she shared. Early on, Geter identified the wellness benefits of remote work for Black women. 

While advocating for broader support of remote work, BWHI also provided hybrid work options for its internal staff. “As an organization, prioritizing the needs of over 21 million Black women and girls in the United States, we have to lead by example,” she said. 

Global Talent Acquisition and Retention

Return-to-work mandates aren’t the conversation-ender one might think they’d be. It’s a lesson Starbucks’ CEO, Howard Schultz, learned firsthand when his memo on the matter yielded less than desired results. “They are not coming back at the level I want them to,” he told an audience at Times’s DealBook policy forum.

As balances of power level out, employees with sought-after skills are standing firm on work-from-home preferences. Aleksandra Sulimko, Chief Human Resources Officer at TheSoul Publishing embraces the shift. “We recognized remote work as an opportunity to tap into a global talent pool. By removing geographical limitations, we aimed to attract and retain top-notch professionals from around the world,” Sulimko told ESSENCE.

Offering remote work opportunities broadens hiring pools and helps reduce turnover. Sulimko says she’s seen an unexpected added advantage of unpredicted outcomes. “It brought fresh perspective and ideas to the table,” she says.

Balancing Efficiency and Employee Well-Being

Transitioning to remote or hybrid work isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution, as some roles thrive best onsite, and many employees excel in traditional office environments. The preference for in-person work is particularly notable among the newest generation in the workforce, with over 74% of Gen Zers favoring face-to-face interactions, according to an Accenture report. Still, many remote workers grapple with stress and loneliness in isolation, as highlighted by an analysis from the Integrated Benefits Institute, which showed increased mental health issues among fully remote and hybrid workers compared to those in the office.

Esi Eggleston Bracey, President of Unilever USA and CEO of their North American Personal Care division, emphasized this nuanced approach: “Our mission is to be the company that makes the most difference for people, communities, and the planet. Offering flexible, hybrid work is part of that.”

With employees spending about 40% of their time at work, Unilever prioritizes accommodating the diverse needs of different teams. Bracey underscores the strategic choice of adopting a hybrid approach to cultivate a culture that values humanity, purpose, and accountability.

The Productivity Advantage: Remote Work’s Dual Impact

Although a global pandemic wasn’t an ideal catalyst, it prompted organizations to rethink their approaches and hastened the evolution of the future of work. As Kimberly Evans Paige, EVP, and Chief Marketing Officer at BET, aptly states: “Chaos breeds creativity.”

Since adopting a 2-day hybrid work setup, she’s observed enhanced efficiencies. “We had to cut out unnecessary work and processes that didn’t significantly contribute to the business. It pushed us to think more creatively and innovatively to achieve results in a remote setting,” she shared.

While remote employees tend to be more productive than their in-office counterparts, burnout is a potential downside. Leaving home and commuting to work establishes a physical boundary, which can be crucial for mental well-being. Without this separation between work and life, a significant portion of full-time remote workers—86%, according to a Zippia survey —report working harder and longer from home. It’s a challenge, Evans Paige acknowledges. “Our biggest opportunity is to ensure our associates don’t burn out as there are fewer boundaries and separation when working remotely. To that end, we encourage associates to manage the day in a way that allows for more balance and harmony,” she said.

Four years after the global shutdown, regardless of where employers stand on the remote work debate, there’s no going back to ‘business as usual.’