Nore than 80% of businesses believe remote work will continue
K-State Research and Extension news service
MANHATTAN — Remote work is here to stay, but limited access to high speed Internet and lack of remote worker training may be barriers, according to findings of a just-released, statewide survey.
Ron Wilson, director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development, said the survey was conducted in fall 2022 by K-State Research and Extension in collaboration with the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development, Kansas Chamber of Commerce, Kansas Department of Agriculture, Kansas Department of Commerce, Kansas Small Business Development Centers, NetWork Kansas, Office of Rural Prosperity, and Senator Jerry Moran.
The full survey report is available at www.huckboydinstitute.org.
Wilson said nearly half of respondent organizations currently employ remote workers, and more than two-thirds believe that remote work has been implemented successfully or very successfully in their organizations. More than 80% believe remote work will continue and more than 90% indicating the number of remote workers and hybrid workers will remain the same or increase.
However, only 40% of respondents indicated high speed Internet access was available to help make remote work practical. And, only 3.6% of respondents indicated that training for remote workers was available.
Almost three-quarters of respondent communities do not market their community to potential, current and digital remote workers, and only 1 in 10 offer remote workers relocation incentives of some kind.
When selecting remote workers, the types of skills organizations are seeking include self-management/self-starter ability, teamwork, online communication, project management/productivity, online data management and security, technical skills, and organizing/creating a dedicated workspace.
Survey respondents included representatives of businesses, communities, economic development organizations, and others across the state. The project was led by Wilson; Jaime Menon, state program leader for K-State Research and Extension’s community vitality program; and Jason Ellis, head of K-State’s Department of Communications and Agricultural Education.