Hello and welcome to Work Week, the podcast where we tackle one big question about the rapidly changing workplace, explore what the research says about the issue, and explain what it all means for you.

I’m Dr. Kelly Monahan, Managing Director of the Upwork Research Institute. What you’re hearing is a digital proxy of my voice, created by our team with the help of AI.

Today, I want to address a question I hear from leaders, talent professionals, and employees alike: Does remote work actually…work?

In recent years, distributed and remote work models have become common in many industries. Despite this, many organizations continue to 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—calling their previously remote or hybrid teams back to the office full-time.

This week, we’re going to explore 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 practices can make all the difference. And I’ll share a weekly routine I’ve adopted with my team called “Mindset Mondays”—a simple yet powerful way to foster alignment in an asynchronous world.

Let’s start with a look at where we are today.

Despite headlines announcing return-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 Upwork Research Institute survey of five-hundred U.S.-based C-suite executives, most leaders don’t anticipate increasing the number of workers who are fully in-office in the coming year. If anything, they foresee a slight uptick in their use of hybrid work, and expect the share of fully remote workers to remain consistent at around eleven percent.

Additionally, data published in March of this year by the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research shows that one-third of employees work remotely at least one day a week, and that remote work now accounts for one-fifth of all paid workdays in the U.S.

So, the first thing we need to acknowledge is this: remote work continues to be the norm for millions. The question is no longer, “Should we allow remote work?” but rather, “How do we make remote work better?”

To answer this question, our team has taken a look both at what’s working—and at what isn’t.

We’ve separated the discussion into three themes: visibility and alignment, retention, and wellbeing.

When we look at our first theme, visibility and alignment, the data is clear that remote work is highly effective for many roles—especially those focused on knowledge work. But one of the biggest challenges is having that work, and its related outcomes, be seen.

That’s something I’ve experienced personally. In a remote or hybrid environment, it’s easy to make assumptions about what others are focused on—or worse, lose sight of how 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 best in remote and hybrid settings find ways to embed visibility and alignment into their culture and workflows. According to an Upwork Research Institute survey of fifteen hundred global business leaders, twenty-seven percent of organizations are strategically combining distributed work, flexible talent strategies, and advanced technology into a unified operating model.

These leaders, who we call Work Innovators, go beyond simply offering remote work. Rather, they develop systems that make distributed work and flexible talent strategies—such as engaging freelancers—sustainable and impactful.

Work Innovators focus on equipping their teams with the autonomy, support, and tools needed to innovate and creatively solve problems. While they face the same challenges as their peers, one thing that sets them apart is their ability to drive alignment and visibility.

The second theme our team identified in what makes remote work work are the retention risks associated with return-to-office mandates. 

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 five-thousand employed adults, forty-six percent of workers in remote or hybrid roles said they’d be unlikely to stay with their employer if they were required to return to fully on-site work.

Additionally, an Upwork Research Institute survey of executives found that sixty-three percent of C-suite leaders with return-to-office mandates said the shift led to a disproportionate number of women quitting. Even more striking, fifty-seven percent said the loss of women workers hurt company productivity and sixty-two percent said they faced challenges backfilling those roles.

The Pew Research and Upwork Research Institute data highlight a critical point. Returning to the office may seem like a quick fix to some of the challenges introduced by remote work—but in practice, enforced mandates can lead to turnover, disengagement, and hiring gaps.

The third major theme our team identified in what makes remote work work was employee wellbeing.

Gallup’s most recent State of the Global Workplace report found that, while remote workers are more likely to be engaged, they also report lower levels of wellbeing than their hybrid or in-office counterparts. In sum, they’re more likely 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 feel both engaged and thriving, only thirty-eight percent say they’re looking for new job opportunities, compared to fifty-seven percent of disengaged remote workers.

So, the question becomes: how do we foster both engagement and wellbeing in a distributed team?

Let me share a practice that’s made a big difference on my team: Mindset Mondays.

As a leader of a remote team, I’ve learned that alignment doesn’t happen automatically. In the absence of hallway conversations or in-person energy, it’s easy for team members to 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’s happening in the world.

I highlight any events or news in the world outside of work that may be impacting how we show up to our day-to-day roles. Whether it’s a major news 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-of-mind for me for the week ahead. What am I focused on? What decisions are on the horizon? This helps reduce guesswork and ensures we’re aligned on direction and priorities.

Third, I encourage visibility.

I ask the team to share what they’re working on. This isn’t a status update for the sake of tracking—it’s a simple way for us to make our work visible to one another. We quickly see who’s focused on what, identify any overlap, and recognize where team members might need support.

An exercise as simple as Mindset Mondays can foster clarity, accountability, and connection among fully remote, hybrid, and full-time in-office team members. The whole process only takes about ten minutes—but the alignment it creates carries through the week.

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 Mondays help us bridge this gap.

Forward-thinking leaders prioritize how work gets done over where work gets done. This is why the most successful organizations and Work Innovators are moving away from location-based models to system-based thinking.

Whether you’re remote, hybrid, or fully on-site, the same foundational principles apply to drive engagement and productivity. These principles include clarity of purpose, shared goals and outcomes, psychological safety, and opportunities for visibility and recognition. These principles aren’t remote-specific ideas. They’re work ideas.

Leaders who embrace these principles, and support workplace flexibility across any environment, are likely to see improved results—including increased engagement and talent attraction. This is because workers today increasingly expect flexibility—not as a perk, but as a baseline.

In fact, the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs report found that forty-three percent of employers surveyed plan to offer remote or hybrid options between now and twenty-thirty—specifically to increase talent availability.

So, does remote work actually work? Yes. But not by default. Remote work and distributed work are most effective when they’re designed to work. If you’re leading a team—or managing your own workflow—clarity is a powerful tool.

I want to close this episode of Work Week as we always do, by giving you an action item and a reflection question.

For this week’s action, try your own version of Mindset Mondays. If you’re a leader, set aside ten minutes at the beginning of the week to reflect on what’s happening in the world and how you and your team may be showing up to work as a result. Then, clarify your priorities with team members and encourage visibility.

If you’re an independent freelancer, adapt the Mindset Mondays practice to meet your needs. Identify any challengers or blockers you may be facing at the beginning of the week and reiterate priorities to stakeholders or partners with whom you collaborate to ensure alignment and clarity.

And for your reflection question, ask yourself: How can I drive clarity, alignment, and engagement across my distributed team this week? 

In a remote or distributed work environment, alignment isn’t always automatic. When we communicate with clarity, we build trust. When we share priorities, we reduce friction. And when we acknowledge our humanity, we create workplaces that work—and where people feel seen.

That’s it for this episode of Work Week. I’m Kelly Monahan and in this episode, we discussed how to make remote work…work. If you found this helpful, share the episode with a colleague or friend. And please subscribe to stay updated on the latest research-backed insights about the future of work.