The momentum of the acceleration of the increase in remote working caused by the pandemic is not going to be slowing down anytime soon. And it isn’t just because it is an extremely comfortable way where you can lounge in your pyjamas whilst talking business with your client but because of many other things that make remote work ideal because it does have a lot of advantages over the traditional way of working.
In a recent survey with 10,000 participants, 69% of the respondents said they are more focused on working remotely. Two-thirds of the manager reports claim that working from home has increased overall productivity. Working remotely allows the person to work in an environment they are extremely comfortable in. It enables their creativity and enhances their work as the distractions offered by an office setting are now removed.
There are no more nosy colleagues or idle watercooler interruptions. The flexible hours have allowed the employees to operate at a time which is most convenient to them. Being able to spend more time with family and friends motivates them to keep doing the work with the same fluency and quality.
Surprisingly, employees also tend to work longer hours when working from home. Employees often lose track of time when working from home. Perhaps it is because they don’t constantly keep looking at the clock because they are eager to reach home.
Also Read: Did The Pandemic Change Your Workspace Routines, Affecting Your Productivity
One of the really great advantages of remote working is the lower operational costs. A study in the USA found that if a company allowed an employee to work from home even for just half the time, it would save an approximate of $11,000 per employee.
There is no need to have an operational office, something that can benefit any organization in a lot of ways. This money could be used in several other things to enhance the growth curve and increase revenue. The company can hire more employees or outsource, they can grow the talent pool.
Additionally, it also saves the money of the employees that would have otherwise been spent on fuel and commute, not to mention the time saved.
All the aspects of health have been looked after by remote working. The stress has been reduced dramatically due to the absence of a persistent or a hovering coworker leads to a possible reduction in healthcare costs associated with stress-related illnesses.
A study showed that employers take an approximate of 27 minutes of break, compared to the 24 in the traditional working setting, where they can exercise, meditate, do house chores or spend that time with the family. In a nutshell, the employees get more time to unwind which ultimately leads to better performance.
Turns out, employees also eat healthier when working from home as they have more options compared to an office setting where their culinary options are limited. In a study, it has also been found that employees sleep for more time as the time otherwise occupied by commuting and getting ready has been spared. A CoSo Cloud study found that 45% of the respondents stated that they are getting better sleep since working remotely.
With the pandemic, people are coming to realize that this planet needs saving. A lot of environmental issues are thanks to the carbon footprint, a lot of which is contributed by commuting to work. With remote working, the carbon emissions would reduce drastically as people would no longer need to regularly commute to their work through either private or public vehicles.
Research conducted at the University of Warwick Computer Science Department found that allowing employees to work from home just two days a week would reduce the carbon emissions occurring through staff commuting by 40%. Some studies have estimated that flexible work plans can reduce carbon emissions by a startling 214 million tons annually. This would be a really smart step towards the reduction of global warming as it wouldn’t inconvenience people – something that’s crucial in determining the health of the planet.
Suggestion: Give Your Remote Teams A Sense Of Togetherness
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Even though it doesn’t look like it, the world is going to recover from the pandemic eventually but surely. There wouldn’t be as much need for remote working but due to the benefits of remote working, it would be smart to stick to it. It increases productivity, reduces the operational costs, supports a better life through its health benefits and is far more sustainable than the traditional model of working. Due to these undebatable advantages, it is inevitable for remote working to stay even after the pandemic has ended and people are no longer bound by nature to work from home.
