One year ago, the world embraced remote work (for better or for worse). We polled 1,000 members of our community, one year apart, about their experience working remotely. The responses were too good not to share, so we created this bite-sized infographic to recap everything. Over the past year, we have faced unique challenges, learned valuable lessons, and quite possibly transformed the future of work forever.

Not much has changed

Whether it’s your kitchen table, home office, or local coffee shop, we have all had to adapt to a new work environment and mitigate at-home stressors. Only 3% of our community has returned to the office, with 8% working partly from home and 89% working from home full time. Many of us are starting to see the perks of working from home — including increased flexibility, lack of commute, and more time spent with loved ones — and have indicated an interest in continuing this new way of work.

But, remote work has its perks

Working from home comes with obvious challenges, but we can’t forget about all the perks: unlimited snacks, working in PJ’s, midday walks, and many more. Among all the perks there are difficulties: staying focused and limiting distractions. The good news is that many of us have thrived in our new work settings, reporting a 6% increase in productivity from this time last year. Additionally, only 11% of our community noted a decrease in productivity since WFH.

Related Post: Personalized Productivity: What's Your Personality Type?

We have learned to take life day by day and are finding new positives in a unique and unfamiliar situation. Our community noted taking more time for themselves, reinventing their home office, and successfully creating boundaries with those around them. Additionally, we have seen a surge in exercise, home-cooking, renewed routines, and keeping in touch with family and friends. Despite uncertain times, we have flourished and found new ways to create joy in our lives.

We’re rolling with the punches

Working from home comes with a battlefield of distractions, but we have adapted and learned how to cope with a busy environment in the past year. Unfortunately, every day isn’t a breeze and 52% of our community noted struggling to stay motivated and mitigate distractions. While it can be extremely difficult to find focus at home, many of us are distracted by external circumstances that have flipped our usual lives. In fact, our findings show a 26% spike in those struggling with social isolation compared to one year ago. Whether you’re an extrovert or an introvert, socialization is necessary to our sanity and everyone is feeling the weight of the pandemic. As we navigate through times of uncertainty, we must prioritize our relationships, leading with empathy and understanding.

Related Post: Co-working From Home: Tips to Keep Your Relationship Strong

What about the future of work?

This question has been circling since the beginning of WFH, and one thing we have learned is that people have learned to love the WFH lifestyle. While 60% of people reported feeling neutral or comfortable with returning to the office, many of us are hoping for flexibility in this decision. 46% said they would prefer to continue working from home, and 45% indicated they would like a hybrid model, while only 9% are hoping to return to the office. These results tell us that many people have thrived while working from home and hope to see it molded into the future of work.

What has the last year looked like for you?

We have all developed different strategies for staying productive at home and picked up new hobbies to fill our time. We would love to hear how you've spent the last year: challenges, opportunities, and lessons learned. Tweet at us at @Get_Shift and let us know!