More businesses and professionals are seeing the upside of this innovative work set-up, and a good number of companies from SMEs to Fortune 500 companies are making the switch away from a physical office set-up. As opposed to the traditional nine-to-five and physical office structure, the ability to work from any location around the globe led to a change in talent acquisition, company culture, and workforce management.
Remote working can do a lot for a company and for its people, bringing in many positive changes to workforce efficiency, task delivery, overall individual and team productivity, and savings. Below are some noteworthy benefits of remote work for both businesses and employees.
What’s In It For Employees?
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No more long and stressful commutes. Ever felt that commute is much more tiring than the work itself? Commutes are a serious headache for employees, especially those in metropolitan areas. The traffic is a complete time-waster and energy drainer. One major benefit remote work offers is it removes the hassle, cost, and stress of commuting to a physical office daily. Some remote workers only have to attend official in-office meetings once in a while – most, never. If office workers spend 1, 2, or even more hours on the road to and from their offices every day, remote workers can work directly from their homes, saving time, energy, and money.
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Yes to flexibility and work-life balance. One very prominent reason most employees opt for remote working is that it offers a more flexible lifestyle. Employees can work from the comfort of their homes, or anywhere they choose, wearing anything – even pajamas! Since they are not subjected to working behind an office desk, or stuck to a strict schedule, they can focus on things that matter to them outside of their workspace- like catering for their children and family, and so on- while still working within their preferred time frame, and work pace.
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Bigger savings. Looking at the daily expenses of an office commuter, food and fare is common. Cost of commuting alone could take up to 10-20% out of someone’s paycheck, whereas the cost of eating out is twice more expensive than cooking meals at home. Remote workers can save up to 30% of their paycheck by simply not having to go to a physical office, another huge plus to encourage call center professionals to start working remotely.
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Renewed passion for work. Remote workers tend to be happier than in-office workers because they get to spend more time with their loved ones and do things they love, and they work in an environment where they can be more relaxed. For some, remote working comes as a reward for good work, and they are therefore inspired to do more and surpass their goals, so as to keep enjoying the lifestyle they now love.
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Improvement of health and wellness. The fact that remote workers work in an environment they are comfortable in, have more time to cook healthy meals, go for a run, and can take care of things and people that matter to them builds a healthier lifestyle versus commuting office workers. Remote workers are less stressed and therefore have a higher morale to work than office workers.
What’s In It For Employers?
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Access to the global talent pool. The biggest struggle for businesses is finding, hiring, and retaining the best hires. Remote work solves this problem by giving businesses the power to extend their hiring reach all over the globe. With the use of technology, searching for talents is no longer geologically limited when interviews can be done via Skype, productivity is monitored by using latest productivity apps, and connecting with competitive professionals is made easy through the use of professional networking sites like LinkedIn.
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Increased company productivity. Because remote workers no longer need to travel hours before reaching a physical office, they get an early headstart to work. The unwritten rule in the remote work industry is that remote workers are assessed based on their level of productivity and performance. This drives remote workers to perform better, and deliver more than their in-office counterpart. Further, offices are also riddled with numerous distractions, reducing the level of concentration and productivity.
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Huge savings for the business: This is actually one of the key advantages remote work brings to employers. If business owners start tallying the cost of what running a physical office entails, it’s overwhelming. Take note of the costs of renting, furnishing, and maintaining an office, and don’t forget the cost of restocking kitchen and office supplies and payment of utilities. If business owners take these expenses into consideration and start crunching the numbers, remote work could save them up to 100% on overhead expenses.
