Well, three stories about remote work all at once.
CISOs continue to face significant security challenges due to remote work, with 72% stating it complicates their organization’s cyber resilience. Key issues include an increased attack surface, vulnerabilities in remote access software, and a rise in phishing attacks. Many CISOs report insufficient budgets to address these threats, and the shift to hybrid work has led to a greater reliance on zero-trust security frameworks to manage risks associated with remote devices and shadow IT.
Despite some big companies favoring in-person attendance, remote work is expected to continue growing in popularity. A survey by BairesDev shows that 98% of employees desire remote work, and the number of full-time remote workers is expected to increase from 12.7% to 22% by next year. The IT sector has led the way in remote work, with tech workers reporting increased productivity, satisfaction, and work-life balance.
Companies with return-to-office mandates are experiencing a loss of female talent. Flexible working arrangements have become a requirement for many job seekers, especially caregivers, lower-income workers, and women. Upwork’s research shows that return-to-office mandates have led to a disproportionate number of women quitting, impacting company productivity.
Why do we care?
So, a reminder, from Service Leadership’s compensation report, Remote work remains relatively low in the service provider industry, with only 8.7% of employees working 100% remotely, while 42.8% work exclusively in the office. Most TSP employees (73%) spend at least three days or more working in the office.
Want to widen your appeal as an employer? Well, listen to employees. Embracing flexibility and trust in the workplace is crucial for leaders to retain talent and improve productivity.
The other reason the remote work discussion continues to be relevant is that first story. Most organizations are simply not ready for it. This should be quite relevant for service providers.