June 25, 2025 • 11 mins
Is remote work a sustainable option for organizations and employees? In this episode of Work Week, Dr. Kelly Monahan, Managing Director of The Upwork Research Institute, discusses what recent research reveals about the effectiveness of remote and hybrid work environments. You’ll learn why visibility, alignment, and intentional communication—not physical location—are the keys to success. Kelly shares a real-world practice she uses with her team called “Mindset Mondays,” a quick yet powerful ritual that creates clarity, connection, and momentum at the start of each week.
Whether your organization is remote, hybrid, or fully in-office, this episode offers practical insights to help you drive alignment and clarity across your team.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
(gentle music)
- Hello and welcome to "Work Week",
the podcast where wetackle one big question
about the rapidly changing workplace,
explore what the researchsays about the issue,
and explain what it all means for you.
I'm Dr. Kelly Monahan, Managing Director
of the Upwork Research Institute.
(00:22):
What you're hearing is a digital proxy
of my voice created by ourteam with the help of AI.
Today, I want to address aquestion I hear from leaders,
talent professionals, and employees alike.
Does remote work actually work?
In recent years, distributedand remote work models
have become common in many industries.
(00:44):
Despite this,
many organizations continueto question the effectiveness
and long-term viability of remote work.
Leaders cite concerns about productivity,
cultural continuity, or security risks.
And many are quietly
or not so quietly callingtheir previously remote
or hybrid teams back tothe office full-time.
(01:06):
This week, we're going toexplore what the latest research
tells us about remote work.
We'll also discuss some tactics
that can help make not only remote teams,
but really all teams, more successful,
what the real risks and trade-offs are,
and how intentional practicescan make all the difference.
And I'll share a weeklyroutine I've adopted
with my team called Mindset Mondays,
(01:29):
a simple, yet powerfulway to foster alignment
in an asynchronous world.
Let's start with a lookat where we are today.
Despite headlines announcingreturn to office mandates,
the reality is that remote work continues
to be a major part of how many businesses
and employees get work done.
According to a recent UpworkResearch Institute survey
(01:50):
of 500 US-based C-Suite executives,
most leaders don't anticipateincreasing the number
of workers who are fully inoffice in the coming year.
If anything, they foresee a slight uptick
in their use of hybrid work
and expect the shareof fully remote workers
to remain consistent at around 11%.
Additionally, data publishedin March of this year
(02:12):
by the Stanford Institutefor Economic Policy Research
shows that one third ofemployees work remotely
at least one day a week.
And that remote work now accounts
for one fifth of allpaid work days in the US
So the first thing we needto acknowledge is this,
remote work continues tobe the norm for millions.
(02:33):
The question is no longershould we allow remote work,
but rather how do wemake remote work better?
To answer this question,
our team has taken a lookboth at what's working
and at what isn't.
We've separated thediscussion into three themes;
visibility and alignment,retention, and wellbeing.
(02:54):
When we look at our firsttheme, visibility and alignment,
the data is clear that remotework is highly effective
for many roles, especiallythose focused on knowledge work.
But one of the biggestchallenges is having that work
and its related outcomes be seen.
That's something I'veexperienced personally.
(03:14):
In a remote or hybrid environment,
it's easy to make assumptions
about what others are focused on,
or worse, lose sight ofhow our work ladders up
to the bigger, more strategic picture.
I'll talk more about how I address this
with my own team later in the episode.
From an organizational standpoint,
companies that perform bestin remote and hybrid settings
(03:35):
find ways to embedvisibility and alignment
into their culture and workflows.
According to an UpworkResearch Institute survey
of 1,500 global businessleaders, 27% of organizations
are strategicallycombining distributed work,
flexible talent strategies,and advanced technology
into a unified operating model.
(03:59):
These leaders who we call work innovators
go beyond simply offering remote work.
Rather, they develop systemsthat make distributed work
and flexible talent strategiessuch as engaging freelancers,
sustainable and impactful.
Work innovators focuson equipping their teams
with the autonomy,support, and tools needed
(04:20):
to innovate and creatively solve problems.
While they face the samechallenges as their peers,
one thing that sets themapart is their ability
to drive alignment and visibility.
The second theme our team identified
and what makes remote workwork are the retention risks
associated with return to office mandates.
(04:40):
You've likely seen the headlines
about companies requiring their staff
return to the office full time,
but if you aren't asking
about the costs these companies face,
then you're missing the full story.
According to a Pew research survey
of more than 5,000 employed adults,
46% of workers in remote or hybrid roles
(05:02):
said they'd be unlikely tostay with their employer
if they were required toreturn to fully onsite work.
Additionally, an UpworkResearch Institute survey
of executives found that63% of C-suite leaders
with return to officemandates said the shift
led to a disproportionatenumber of women quitting,
even more striking 57% said the loss
(05:25):
of women workers hurtcompany productivity,
and 62% said they face challengesbackfilling those roles.
The Pew Research and UpworkResearch Institute data
highlight a critical point.
Returning to the officemay seem like a quick fix
to some of the challengesintroduced by remote work,
but in practice, enforcemandates can lead to turnover,
(05:47):
disengagement, and hiring gaps.
The third major theme our team identified
in what makes remote workwork was employee wellbeing.
Gallup's most recent state ofthe global workplace report
found that while remote workers
are more likely to be engaged,
they also report lower levels of wellbeing
than their hybrid orin-office counterparts.
(06:08):
In some, they're morelikely to experience stress,
loneliness, sadness, and even anger
than their in-office peers.
The good news for employers,
engagement is a powerful buffer.
The Gallup report also shows
that when remote workers feelboth engaged and thriving,
only 38% say they're lookingfor new job opportunities
(06:30):
compared to 57% ofdisengaged remote workers.
So the question becomes,
how do we foster bothengagement and wellbeing
in a distributed team?
Let me share a practicethat's made a big difference
on my team.
Mindset Mondays.
As a leader of a remote team,
I've learned that alignmentdoesn't happen automatically.
(06:52):
In the absence of hallwayconversations or in-person energy,
it's easy for team membersto operate in silos.
That's why every Monday morning,
the first thing I do when I log on
is send a message to the team.
Here's what it includes.
First, I acknowledge what'shappening in the world.
I highlight any events or newsin the world outside of work
(07:12):
that may be impacting how we show up
to our day-to-day roles.
Whether it's a majornews event, a holiday,
or a change in the season,
acknowledging the human experience
helps us connect more authentically.
Second, I share priorities.
I communicate what's top ofmind for me for the week ahead.
What am I focused on?
What decisions are on the horizon?
(07:34):
This helps reduce guesswork
and ensures we're alignedon direction and priorities.
Third, I encourage visibility.
I ask the team to sharewhat they're working on.
This isn't a status updatefor the sake of tracking.
It's a simple way for us
to make our work visible to one another.
We quickly see who's focusedon what, identify any overlap,
(07:56):
and recognize where teammembers might need support.
An exercise as simple as MindsetMondays can foster clarity,
accountability, and connectionamong fully remote, hybrid,
and full-time in-office team members.
The whole process onlytakes about 10 minutes,
but the alignment it createscarries through the week.
(08:18):
The biggest insight I've gained?
Remote work doesn't create misalignment.
Lack of communication and visibility does.
No matter the work setting.
And Mindset Mondayshelp us bridge this gap.
Forward thinking leadersprioritize how work gets done
over where work gets done.
This is why the mostsuccessful organizations
(08:39):
and work innovators are moving away
from location-based modelsto system-based thinking.
Whether you're remote,hybrid, or fully onsite,
the same foundational principles apply
to drive engagement and productivity.
These principles includeclarity of purpose,
shared goals and outcomes,psychological safety,
and opportunities forvisibility and recognition.
(09:02):
These principles aren'tremote specific ideas.
They're work ideas.
Leaders who embrace these principles
and support workplace flexibilityacross any environment
are likely to see improved results,
including increased engagementand talent attraction.
This is because workers today
increasingly expect flexibility,
not as a perk, but as a baseline.
(09:25):
In fact, the World EconomicForum's Future of Jobs report
found that 43% of employerssurveyed plan to offer remote
or hybrid options between now and 2030
specifically to increasetalent availability.
So does remote work actually work?
Yes, but not by default.
Remote work and distributedwork are most effective
when they're designed to work.
(09:46):
If you're leading a team ormanaging your own workflow,
clarity is a powerful tool.
I wanna close this episode of"Work Week" as we always do,
by giving you an action itemand a reflection question.
For this week's action,
try your own version of Mindset Mondays.
If you're a leader, set aside 10 minutes
(10:08):
at the beginning of the week
to reflect on what'shappening in the world
and how you and your teammay be showing up to work
as a result.
Then clarify yourpriorities with team members
and encourage visibility.
If you're an independent freelancer,
adapt the Mindset Mondayspractice to meet your needs.
Identify any challengers orblockers you may be facing
at the beginning of the weekand reiterate priorities
(10:30):
to stakeholders or partnerswith whom you collaborate
to ensure alignment and clarity.
And for your reflection question,
ask yourself, how can Idrive clarity, alignment,
and engagement across mydistributed team this week?
In a remote or distributedwork environment,
alignment isn't always automatic.
When we communicate withclarity, we build trust.
(10:50):
When we share priorities,we reduce friction.
And when we acknowledge our humanity,
we create workplaces that workand where people feel seen.
That's it for this episode of "Work Week".
I'm Kelly Monahan, and inthis episode we discussed
how to make remote work work.
If you found this helpful,
(11:11):
share the episode witha colleague or friend
and please subscribe to stay updated
on the latest research-backed insights
about the future of work.
(gentle music)
- Hello and welcome to "Work Week",
the podcast where wetackle one big question
about the rapidly changing workplace,
explore what the researchsays about the issue,
and explain what it all means for you.
I'm Dr. Kelly Monahan, Managing Director
of the Upwork Research Institute.
(00:22):
What you're hearing is a digital proxy
of my voice created by ourteam with the help of AI.
Today, I want to address aquestion I hear from leaders,
talent professionals, and employees alike.
Does remote work actually work?
In recent years, distributedand remote work models
have become common in many industries.
(00:44):
Despite this,
many organizations continueto question the effectiveness
and long-term viability of remote work.
Leaders cite concerns about productivity,
cultural continuity, or security risks.
And many are quietly
or not so quietly callingtheir previously remote
or hybrid teams back tothe office full-time.
(01:06):
This week, we're going toexplore what the latest research
tells us about remote work.
We'll also discuss some tactics
that can help make not only remote teams,
but really all teams, more successful,
what the real risks and trade-offs are,
and how intentional practicescan make all the difference.
And I'll share a weeklyroutine I've adopted
with my team called Mindset Mondays,
(01:29):
a simple, yet powerfulway to foster alignment
in an asynchronous world.
Let's start with a lookat where we are today.
Despite headlines announcingreturn to office mandates,
the reality is that remote work continues
to be a major part of how many businesses
and employees get work done.
According to a recent UpworkResearch Institute survey
(01:50):
of 500 US-based C-Suite executives,
most leaders don't anticipateincreasing the number
of workers who are fully inoffice in the coming year.
If anything, they foresee a slight uptick
in their use of hybrid work
and expect the shareof fully remote workers
to remain consistent at around 11%.
Additionally, data publishedin March of this year
(02:12):
by the Stanford Institutefor Economic Policy Research
shows that one third ofemployees work remotely
at least one day a week.
And that remote work now accounts
for one fifth of allpaid work days in the US
So the first thing we needto acknowledge is this,
remote work continues tobe the norm for millions.
(02:33):
The question is no longershould we allow remote work,
but rather how do wemake remote work better?
To answer this question,
our team has taken a lookboth at what's working
and at what isn't.
We've separated thediscussion into three themes;
visibility and alignment,retention, and wellbeing.
(02:54):
When we look at our firsttheme, visibility and alignment,
the data is clear that remotework is highly effective
for many roles, especiallythose focused on knowledge work.
But one of the biggestchallenges is having that work
and its related outcomes be seen.
That's something I'veexperienced personally.
(03:14):
In a remote or hybrid environment,
it's easy to make assumptions
about what others are focused on,
or worse, lose sight ofhow our work ladders up
to the bigger, more strategic picture.
I'll talk more about how I address this
with my own team later in the episode.
From an organizational standpoint,
companies that perform bestin remote and hybrid settings
(03:35):
find ways to embedvisibility and alignment
into their culture and workflows.
According to an UpworkResearch Institute survey
of 1,500 global businessleaders, 27% of organizations
are strategicallycombining distributed work,
flexible talent strategies,and advanced technology
into a unified operating model.
(03:59):
These leaders who we call work innovators
go beyond simply offering remote work.
Rather, they develop systemsthat make distributed work
and flexible talent strategiessuch as engaging freelancers,
sustainable and impactful.
Work innovators focuson equipping their teams
with the autonomy,support, and tools needed
(04:20):
to innovate and creatively solve problems.
While they face the samechallenges as their peers,
one thing that sets themapart is their ability
to drive alignment and visibility.
The second theme our team identified
and what makes remote workwork are the retention risks
associated with return to office mandates.
(04:40):
You've likely seen the headlines
about companies requiring their staff
return to the office full time,
but if you aren't asking
about the costs these companies face,
then you're missing the full story.
According to a Pew research survey
of more than 5,000 employed adults,
46% of workers in remote or hybrid roles
(05:02):
said they'd be unlikely tostay with their employer
if they were required toreturn to fully onsite work.
Additionally, an UpworkResearch Institute survey
of executives found that63% of C-suite leaders
with return to officemandates said the shift
led to a disproportionatenumber of women quitting,
even more striking 57% said the loss
(05:25):
of women workers hurtcompany productivity,
and 62% said they face challengesbackfilling those roles.
The Pew Research and UpworkResearch Institute data
highlight a critical point.
Returning to the officemay seem like a quick fix
to some of the challengesintroduced by remote work,
but in practice, enforcemandates can lead to turnover,
(05:47):
disengagement, and hiring gaps.
The third major theme our team identified
in what makes remote workwork was employee wellbeing.
Gallup's most recent state ofthe global workplace report
found that while remote workers
are more likely to be engaged,
they also report lower levels of wellbeing
than their hybrid orin-office counterparts.
(06:08):
In some, they're morelikely to experience stress,
loneliness, sadness, and even anger
than their in-office peers.
The good news for employers,
engagement is a powerful buffer.
The Gallup report also shows
that when remote workers feelboth engaged and thriving,
only 38% say they're lookingfor new job opportunities
(06:30):
compared to 57% ofdisengaged remote workers.
So the question becomes,
how do we foster bothengagement and wellbeing
in a distributed team?
Let me share a practicethat's made a big difference
on my team.
Mindset Mondays.
As a leader of a remote team,
I've learned that alignmentdoesn't happen automatically.
(06:52):
In the absence of hallwayconversations or in-person energy,
it's easy for team membersto operate in silos.
That's why every Monday morning,
the first thing I do when I log on
is send a message to the team.
Here's what it includes.
First, I acknowledge what'shappening in the world.
I highlight any events or newsin the world outside of work
(07:12):
that may be impacting how we show up
to our day-to-day roles.
Whether it's a majornews event, a holiday,
or a change in the season,
acknowledging the human experience
helps us connect more authentically.
Second, I share priorities.
I communicate what's top ofmind for me for the week ahead.
What am I focused on?
What decisions are on the horizon?
(07:34):
This helps reduce guesswork
and ensures we're alignedon direction and priorities.
Third, I encourage visibility.
I ask the team to sharewhat they're working on.
This isn't a status updatefor the sake of tracking.
It's a simple way for us
to make our work visible to one another.
We quickly see who's focusedon what, identify any overlap,
(07:56):
and recognize where teammembers might need support.
An exercise as simple as MindsetMondays can foster clarity,
accountability, and connectionamong fully remote, hybrid,
and full-time in-office team members.
The whole process onlytakes about 10 minutes,
but the alignment it createscarries through the week.
(08:18):
The biggest insight I've gained?
Remote work doesn't create misalignment.
Lack of communication and visibility does.
No matter the work setting.
And Mindset Mondayshelp us bridge this gap.
Forward thinking leadersprioritize how work gets done
over where work gets done.
This is why the mostsuccessful organizations
(08:39):
and work innovators are moving away
from location-based modelsto system-based thinking.
Whether you're remote,hybrid, or fully onsite,
the same foundational principles apply
to drive engagement and productivity.
These principles includeclarity of purpose,
shared goals and outcomes,psychological safety,
and opportunities forvisibility and recognition.
(09:02):
These principles aren'tremote specific ideas.
They're work ideas.
Leaders who embrace these principles
and support workplace flexibilityacross any environment
are likely to see improved results,
including increased engagementand talent attraction.
This is because workers today
increasingly expect flexibility,
not as a perk, but as a baseline.
(09:25):
In fact, the World EconomicForum's Future of Jobs report
found that 43% of employerssurveyed plan to offer remote
or hybrid options between now and 2030
specifically to increasetalent availability.
So does remote work actually work?
Yes, but not by default.
Remote work and distributedwork are most effective
when they're designed to work.
(09:46):
If you're leading a team ormanaging your own workflow,
clarity is a powerful tool.
I wanna close this episode of"Work Week" as we always do,
by giving you an action itemand a reflection question.
For this week's action,
try your own version of Mindset Mondays.
If you're a leader, set aside 10 minutes
(10:08):
at the beginning of the week
to reflect on what'shappening in the world
and how you and your teammay be showing up to work
as a result.
Then clarify yourpriorities with team members
and encourage visibility.
If you're an independent freelancer,
adapt the Mindset Mondayspractice to meet your needs.
Identify any challengers orblockers you may be facing
at the beginning of the weekand reiterate priorities
(10:30):
to stakeholders or partnerswith whom you collaborate
to ensure alignment and clarity.
And for your reflection question,
ask yourself, how can Idrive clarity, alignment,
and engagement across mydistributed team this week?
In a remote or distributedwork environment,
alignment isn't always automatic.
When we communicate withclarity, we build trust.
(10:50):
When we share priorities,we reduce friction.
And when we acknowledge our humanity,
we create workplaces that workand where people feel seen.
That's it for this episode of "Work Week".
I'm Kelly Monahan, and inthis episode we discussed
how to make remote work work.
If you found this helpful,
(11:11):
share the episode witha colleague or friend
and please subscribe to stay updated
on the latest research-backed insights
about the future of work.
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