OWL Labs and TINYpulse released the State of Remote Work 2017 report. The report looks at the following characteristics of remote work:
- Remote work by business unit.
- Remote work hiring by small companies vs. large companies.
- Remote work across roles (e.g. management vs. contributors).
- Characteristics of fully distributed companies vs. others.
- The benefits and challenges of remote work.
- The characteristics of managing a remote team.
Remote Work and Local Economies
Some see attracting remote workers as a key aspect of economic development. The linked to study suggests that local economic development policies should be altered to attract, retain, and nurture teleworkers.
What are telecommuters looking for in a city? In many cases, core infrastructure can be high-speed symmetrical fiber. Some regions claim that the rural environment can offer the relaxation and work-life balance that telecommuters desire.
A key aspect of the State of research is whether managers see equal performance between their onsite and remote employees. There is a lot of research on this aspect of remote working. Whatever the case may be, it is helpful for regions to begin considering how they can create a desirable and productive living environment to attract a nomad workforce if only for a portion of their living hours.