According to an employment trend forecast by Bowmans, a leading African law firm, more employees in Kenya are expected to be engaged in a ‘virtual workspace’ next year.
Bowmans’ forecast report recognized remote work as one of the major trends expected to gain momentum in 2024.
They also cautioned employers on adhering to fair labor practices, even when employees work from home.
“We anticipate more employees being engaged in a ‘virtual workspace’ in 2024. Employers will need to consider the legal implications of such working arrangements, with reference to recent case law,” said Terry Mwango, head of dispute resolution at Bowmans.
Virtual workspaces are preferred by employers who are keen on saving costs. They are often cheaper to set up and maintain than traditional office spaces.
With remote work, there is no need to purchase or lease physical office space, furniture, or equipment.
In Kenya, many employers are going through rough times due to high operating costs and cash flow challenges.
In monthly surveys done between July and October, 2 in every 10 companies have reported plans to increase branches, raise output capacity, or add new products in the next year.
The resultant Stanbic Bank Kenya’s Purchasing Managers Index looked into it. Business confidence among surveyed firms in manufacturing, construction, wholesale and retail, services, and mining has been weak since July.
About 46% of firms that participated in the survey, based on responses to questions sent to about 400 companies, said costs had risen in October.