A remote workforce takes more planning and more attention to how to keep your team productive, cohesive and happy in their new work experience. (Photo: Shutterstock)

The dream of working from home suddenly has become our new reality. Prior to COVID-19, there were 3.9 million Americans working from home at least half of their workweek, according to a FlexJobs State of the Remote Marketplace report.

Today, with stay-at-home orders in place and business locations closed until further notice, that number has spiked significantly. A recent Gartner survey of 800 global human resources executives shows that in mid-March 2020, 88 percent of organizations were either encouraging or requiring employee to work from home.

That means plenty of companies are learning on the fly that a remote workforce is more than simply sending employees home with company-issued laptops. The transition takes more planning and more attention to how to keep your team productive, cohesive and happy in their new work experience.