Please let us know if you have feedbackAmong companies with remote-first schedules as their default mode of work, 83% reported high productivity, with 21% saying it's “very high,” according to a Sept. 24 report from the Institute for Corporate Productivity and Akamai Technologies, a cybersecurity and cloud company. Notably, 62% of remote-friendly companies said they don’t use surveillance tools, such as VPN usage logs or keystroke tracking, signaling a “strong culture of mutual trust,” the report found. To foster connection in a remote-first model, these companies organize annual and semi-annual in-person gatherings, including strategy sessions (86%), team-building events (76%) and social gatherings (72%). Flexible work schedules have stabilized in recent years, with about half of workplaces choosing hybrid models, according to a Gallup report. Monitoring software may affect workplace culture and productivity, though, which leaders should consider when implementing new programs, a Glassdoor researcher said.