In 2010, roughly 4% of workers telecommuted, according to Census data. By 2019, that number had crept up to just 5%. But in May of last year, during lockdowns, 35% of the workforce was working at home every day, according to a survey from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. Now many employers are trying to be more intentional about their policies so that more employees can actually benefit. Lockdowns forced companies to embrace flexibility For many companies, what began as a contingency plan has become the norm. “This is something that’s going to have a life long after Covid, long after the vaccine,” says Jill Chapman, a senior performance consultant with human resources provider Insperity. “Remote working and the idea of flexibility, it’s not like we weren’t talking about that before the pandemic.” It’s that the pandemic has forced companies to adjust. As Chapman puts it, “It’s like the future of work just showed up one day and that day was March 14.” Now many employers are tryi...