Remote work and work-from-home trends have transformed nearly every area of business – especially the tech industry. 

So what are the top trends emerging from remote work?

Here are 5 topics we’re hearing about in virtual water cooler discussions:

1. The Future of Customer Experience

Customer service excellence has become more important than ever since the pandemic. In Forrester’s 2021 U.S. Customer Experience Index, 21% of brands increased their scores from 2020. 

Brands that boosted their scores did so by interacting with customers in ways that emphasized pandemic safety and provided emotionally pleasant experiences – and the pay-offs are huge. 

Focusing on creating high-quality customer experiences enables brands to create strong bases of loyal customers who are willing to pay premium prices.

Check out these companies that prioritize outstanding customer experience:

• Formstack (Remote) — Workplace productivity platform helping organizations digitize what matters, automate workflows, and fix processes—all without code.
• Jammber (Nashville, TN) — Payment and ownership platform built for co-creators globally
• Structural (St. Paul, MN) — A Discovery Platform for the Workplace

Jump aboard the growing wave of CX by checking out our list of Best Companies for Customer Experience Jobs.

2. Emotionally Intelligent Leadership

Keith Ferrazzi, bestselling author and founder of the consulting company Ferrazzi Greenlight, understands how leaders have helped their organizations through the adversity of the past few years. 

Now Ferrazi is calling on companies to stop talking about when we’re going “back” to work, and start thinking about ways to move forward with innovative ideas and solutions. 

The most successful leaders, says Ferrazzi, are vulnerable, humble, inclusive, and emotionally intelligent.

Emotional intelligence, according to the Harvard Business Review, includes relationship management, social awareness, self-management, and self-awareness.

 Follow these companies that have emotionally intelligent leadership teams:

• ADVISA (Indianapolis, IN) —  A leadership development company.
• FreightWaves (Chattanooga, TN) — Digital Media and SaaS company covering the Transportation Industry
• Grifin (Tampa, FL) — A mobile app that lets you buy stock where you shop

You can also browse through our collection of companies recognized for the best leadership.

3. How Top Companies Are Attracting Talent

It’s a jungle out there for tech companies that need to recruit great talent – and let’s face it, that means practically all tech companies.

Companies are evolving their cultures to meet remote workers’ needs. Professionals expect to be seen as human beings first (during the recruiting process and beyond).

According to LinkedIn, the top 3 trends in talent acquisition are:

• Wellbeing – Companies are focusing on cultures that prioritize the mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing of team members.
• The Great Reshuffle – Employees are rethinking their values and demonstrating their willingness to make significant life and career shifts if their needs aren’t being met.
• Flexibility – Employees want and need flexibility in their working arrangements (including how, when, and where they work), so companies are starting to focus on results rather than in-person time at the office.

These companies have become shining stars for talent acquisition due to their tremendous company cultures:

• Sittercity (Chicago, IL) — Sittercity’s mission is to make child care finally work
• Vistaprint (Waltham, MA) — Vistaprint is the marketing partner to millions of small businesses around the world, empowering each one to live their dreams. 
• Outreach (Seattle, WA) —  A sales engagement platform that accelerates revenue growth 

For more information, read our Powderkeg guide, Why An Innovative Talent Acquisition Process Can Help You Hire The Right People.

4. Building a Strong Employer Brand

When you’re building an employer brand, reputation is everything. Employers who want to stand out must focus on building a desirable culture and a “give and get” value prop that attracts world-class employees.

The Harvard Business Review says:

“In the age of social media, word travels fast and perception matters. Modern job seekers weigh a prospective employer’s reputation heavily in their decision to apply for a job or accept an offer, because they’re keenly aware of the impact it will have on their own reputation and the way others perceive them.”

Check out these companies that have done an extraordinary job elevating their employer brand:

• Hudl (Lincoln, NE) — A software platform that provides video analysis and coaching tools for sports teams
• Truebill (Silver Spring, MD) — A personal finance app  
• MailChimp (Atlanta, GA) — The world’s leading marketing automation platform for small to medium-sized business

For tips on how you can build your employer brand among employees and prospects, check out this guide.

5. The Future Is Web3

Confused by all the talk of NFTs, the metaverse, and blockchain? You’re not alone. Web3 is essentially the next iteration of the internet, but all the jargon can feel pretty overwhelming. 

Here is a helpful post to help you understand the basics of Web3, with clear-cut examples (thanks Jeb Banner at Boardable for sharing this on social).

Here are some exciting Web3 companies to watch:

• Cyber Manufacture Co. (Los Angeles, CA) —  Helps enhance the human experience of NFTs by utilizing art, fashion, & technology to unite the physical & digital world
• Quicknode (Miami, FL) — Provides a fast way to build on the world’s most popular blockchains
• Bakkt (Atlanta, GA) — A financial services company that focuses on digital currency that specializes in concurrency, rewards, and loyalty points

Many Web3 companies are recognizing the huge power of community building for the next iteration of the internet. Learn more about how SaaS companies are taking a “purpose and community first” approach.