Remote Work: How a ‘Perk’ Became a Tool for Survival
What once felt like a workplace luxury has become a vital business strategy. COVID-19 lockdowns and quarantines triggered what Bloomberg called “the world’s largest work-from- home experiment.” While home working policy and flexible workplace arrangements are not new concepts, the speed and scale of global adoption have fundamentally changed how we think about work.
Thanks to modern technology, especially reliable remote desktop software, working from home is now both practical and productive. Organisations are discovering the many advantages of this for employers: reduced overheads, improved employee retention, enhanced productivity, and greater job satisfaction.
Global Adoption: A Mixed Picture
The rise of remote work hasn’t been consistent worldwide.
In South America, employees are 67% more likely to have full-time remote roles. In the United States, 52% of workers spend more than half their week outside the office, and one in twenty is fully remote. Moreover, 83% of US businesses have either implemented or plan to implement flexible workplace arrangements, in response to the 80% of workers who would reject jobs that don’t offer remote options.
Asia, however, has been slower to follow suit. Japan is an exception, where a slim majority of companies allow some form of remote work. But according to the 2020 Hays Asia Salary Guide, only 37% of companies in Asia offer any form of home working policy, even though 57% of employees rank it as their top priority when job hunting.
In China, the numbers were even lower pre-pandemic. Despite a population of 1.4 billion, fewer than five million people were remote workers in 2018.
Cultural Barriers Over Infrastructure
In many slower-to-adopt countries, infrastructure isn’t the issue – it's a mindset.
Countries like China and others across Asia often equate productivity with physical presence. This culture of presenteeism, turning up regardless of effectiveness or health has led to overwork, poor rest, and increased mental health risks. In Malaysia, for example, employees work 15 hours more per week than the global average, leading to burnout and lowered productivity.
Ironically, presenteeism results in fifteen times more productivity loss than absenteeism. Yet, many employers continue to believe that workers only perform under direct supervision. This outdated thinking, combined with a fear of change, continues to stall adoption of effective home working policies.
The good news is that these fears can be overcome with strong policies, leadership support, and robust software that enables visibility, collaboration, and performance tracking.
When Remote Work Became a Necessity
In China, many companies adopted remote work not out of choice but necessity. As COVID-19 spread, millions were placed under lockdown – even healthy individuals were barred from going into the office. Unprepared, businesses rushed to implement flexible workplace arrangements, but many lacked the tools or strategies for success.
Without a coordinated approach, many relied on piecemeal tools instead of unified platforms. On the first day after Chinese New Year, Huawei’s WeLink system buckled under the weight of 120,000 meetings. WeChat Work also experienced huge spikes in demand, requiring emergency upgrades to servers and network capabilities.
The Malaysian Context: Lessons from the Haze
While Malaysia avoided early COVID lockdowns, it's no stranger to events that require remote work. In late 2019, toxic haze led the Ministry of Health to recommend remote working in the Klang Valley to reduce health risks from commuting.
These moments serve as reminders: companies without a proper home working policy are vulnerable to unexpected disruptions. Those with well-established flexible workplace arrangements and secure remote software are better equipped to maintain operations and adapt quickly.
Looking Forward: A Long-Term Advantage
Today, the global workforce is changing. Digital nomads, hybrid teams, and remote-first companies are becoming the norm rather than the exception. What started as an emergency measure is now a cornerstone of modern work strategy.
Companies that embrace this shift stand to gain not only from increased resilience during crises but also from the long-term advantages of work from home for employers – cost savings, better employee engagement, and greater access to global talent.
Want to Future-Proof Your Workplace?
Developing a strong home working policy, investing in secure remote software, and embracing flexible workplace arrangements isn’t just about responding to emergencies. It’s about building a workplace model that thrives, no matter what comes next.
