In the past, remote work was saved for only a small number of people – primarily freelancers and small business owners. Since the spread of the pandemic, however, working from home has become increasingly popular. While this shift has been a shock to the system, many have found that they prefer the homely work environment. Whether you’re a business owner or an office worker, there are many benefits of remote work, and here are six of them.
1: Less Travel
The daily commute is an annoyance for many. Traffic during morning rush hour can be horrendous, with many people having to set off much earlier than they should. Even those who board trains, buses, or tubes find themselves squished between other commuters. This irritation in the morning only sets people up negatively for the day, and many find that they enter work already in a bad mood.
When working from home, travel is eliminated. Instead of a sluggish commute in the early hours, workers only have to patter down the stairs for their morning coffee before settling in their home office chairs. It saves time, energy, and the irritation from commuting is wiped away.
Traveling to work isn’t only bad for the mood – it also negatively affects the environment. Pollution from cars is rife in cities, but with more people working from home, fewer cars have the chance to emit pollutants.
2: Personal Schedule
Not everyone works in the same way. Some people like to wake up refreshed at six in the morning, ready to begin work at eight o’clock with a few breaks to interrupt their flow. Others might work better on a later start, with regular but shorter breaks. When working from home, people can accommodate their own schedule preference, and this increases productivity.
Some businesses worry that, with their staff at home, there are fewer opportunities for training, but this isn’t the case. In fact, there are many eLearning trends for excellent staff training, with the added benefit that workers can choose to train on their own schedule.
3: Wider Range of Staff
Without the need for in-person staff presence, more opportunities await those all over the country.
If you are a business looking to hire, then usually, you are confined to a particular radius. This means there are thousands of excellent candidates who might be perfect for the job but cannot make the commute. By offering remote work, you widen the barrier, allowing people from all around the world to work for you.
This is just as beneficial for those applying for jobs. Moving across the country for a job is a luxury not everyone can afford, which means many people miss out on brilliant opportunities. Businesses offering remote work means you don’t have to adjust your whole life for your job.
4: Choice of Environment
Not everyone works well in an office setting. Some people prefer the quiet of a home office, some thrive in nature, and some enjoy the bustle of a city-center café. When businesses offering remote learning, staff have the opportunity to choose their work environment. People are more likely to work productively when they can choose the workspace that works best for them.
5: It Saves Money
One of the greatest benefits of remote working is the amount of money it saves. Staff no longer have to spend money on their commute, while businesses can reduce their office space.
When businesses don’t have to provide a desk for every employee, it frees up room for more company growth. Office furniture and space are costly, so by allowing staff to work from home, businesses could use the money saved to expand in other areas such as better training opportunities or employee benefits.
Having employees work from home doesn’t damage a business’ communications due to the huge presence of online messaging and video calls. The company can stay up-to-date while enjoying decreased spending.
6: More Time with Kids and Pets
One of the struggles many workers face is leaving their children and their pets at home. With dogs, for example, even the least needy of the breeds cannot be alone for longer than eight hours.
With many households having two parents working full-time, many children don’t see their parents enough. If more parents can work from home, more children get the benefit of having their mum and dad around as they’re growing up.
Remote work is a way of working many people can adapt to quickly. Both business owners and employees will benefit from allowing more people to set up their offices at home.
