In the era of technological advancements, many employees have realized that working from home has numerous benefits. While some turn to online gigs on top of their 9–5, others have moved office work to their homes. According to most recent telecommuting statistics, there are 4.7 million telecommuters in the US.
What’s more, companies are witnessing considerable improvement in the productivity of the employees who opted for working remotely. That's why many employers support remote work and create job opportunities to enable their workers to work from home.
Read on to find out the reasons why more and more people are switching to working from home.
Improved Employee Satisfaction
Even though remote work often requires organizing a separate workspace to avoid distractions, working from home seems to add up to employee satisfaction. About 83% of workers reported that working from home would make them happier.
The same report on the state of remote work in 2019 says that 81% of those surveyed claimed they would recommend a company that allows working remotely. As many as 80% of workers agreed that remote work would make them less stressed. All things considered, companies might want to leverage this knowledge and create a better working environment for their employees.
Better Work-Life Balance
Remote workers certainly have it better than on-site employees when it comes to work-life balance since flexible working hours often lead to much better time management. What’s more, aside from reduced expenses, 40% of freelancers consider a flexible schedule to be the best benefit of remote work.
Flexitime most certainly allows employees to focus entirely on their work one day and indulge in favorite pastimes the other. Such freedom helps workers focus on the tasks at hand when they are at their best, leading to increased productivity and better results overall.
Reduced Expenses
Remote workers claim that reduced expenses are one of the most significant benefits of working from home. Some even claim that the amount of money saved while working from home can amount to around $4,000 per year.
Most money is more often than not spent on commuting, which includes purchasing gas or motor oil, covering car maintenance, buying insurance, or paying for public transportation. What’s more, a decent share of workers is expected to cover other things on top of that — uniforms, lunch breaks, etc.
Teleworking, on the other hand, requires not as much. All you need is a stable internet connection, the cost of which will be far lower compared to commuting by car every day. In addition, remote workers can go for much simpler and much cheaper clothes when working from home. Finally, preparing food from the comfort of one’s home only adds up to the sense of financial security.
Eco-Friendly Work
Air pollution has become a major global issue causing a staggering 3.7 million premature deaths per year. That said, the decline of daily commutes by cars results in reduced air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Thus, either knowingly or unknowingly, remote workers are helping the environment every single day.
On top of that, the usage of office supplies gets reduced significantly, which helps cut down on waste. To put things into perspective, the harmful effects of waste dumping extend to the soil, air, and ocean pollution. If more people worked from home, the mentioned effects would be minimized. What's more, using video conferencing can also reduce the need for business travel. All in all, remote work helps both companies and their remote employees reduce their ecological footprint.
Freedom of Movement
Working from home ultimately means that more doors are open to workers. There's also a broader range of remote job opportunities online, which is excellent for those living in smaller towns or rural areas.
Around 78% of freelancers have already been working from their homes, and 69% of Millennials seem to be in awe of that since they attest to considering giving up other benefits if they could have a flexible workspace.
Overall, the freedom to choose a workspace is beneficial for those who need to move frequently. What’s more, it is indescribably convenient and highly necessary for people with chronic illnesses or disabilities.
Customizable Office
While one should most certainly put a premium on separating work and living areas, just as much attention could be paid to setting and even decorating a work area. Surely, a home office needs to be well-lit, comfortable, and with minimum distractions, but that doesn't mean that it has to be run-of-the-mill. Quite the contrary — you can go all in and customize your work area.
When setting up a home office, most workers flock to wide selections of ergonomic chairs, desks, and laptops. That said, depending on one’s job and other factors, remote workers might require pens, paper, files, and other stationery. Luckily, shopping for such seemingly mundane objects can be turned into an unforgettable adventure since you can let your imagination run wild. The world is your oyster — select colors and shapes that make your heart content to boost your creativity and productivity.
Increased Productivity
Speaking of increased productivity, it comes as no surprise that the factors we mentioned above all contribute to improved employee satisfaction. Even though working from home still raises questions and doubts, with some deeming it counterproductive, numerous workers can attest to better focus on the tasks at hand.
That said, taking breaks is just as important when you work remotely. Interestingly, remote workers who took proper breaks were more productive than office workers. The said increase in productivity is seen best through numbers — remote employees work 1.4 days more each month, which accumulates to 16.8 days per year.
Wide Selection of Jobs
Since many remote job openings are posted online, there are different work options to choose from:
- Fully remote jobs
- Flexible working hours
- Part-time schedule
- Alternative schedules
- Freelance contract work
This variety of options is great for pet owners, caregivers, introverts, or people with chronic illnesses or disabilities. To their delight, if they land a job that suits them, they will still have enough time for other duties.
To Conclude
The number of companies and employees that are turning to remote work is increasing. With both the existing and continuously emerging technological advancements, more people can reap the benefits of telework. Those looking into remote work will be delighted to find out that their options span from freelance contract job opportunities to full-time remote employment.
One of the most significant benefits of remote work is reduced expenditure thanks to less, if any, need for a commute. There's another benefit of minimized commute, and that is the reduction of gas emissions, which consequently helps reduce one’s ecological footprint.
Now, better work-life balance boosts both the overall wellbeing and productivity of employees. The ultimate freedom of movement is yet another benefit that remote workers might want to leverage — you can find a job that will enable you to work from any corner of the world.
Finally, the increased productivity of employees translates to a healthier corporate culture. There's no doubt that numerous benefits of remote work are a force to reckon with, and that's precisely why this type of employment is to stay.
0 Comments