There was a time when employers, and the rest of the world, looked down upon remote work or freelancing. But, times have changed, and remote work is the future. More and more businesses are leveraging remote work to lower operational costs and boost employee satisfaction. Different tech companies and other unique industries are appointing remote work opportunities to reduce turnover and improve work productivity.
No doubt, today’s technological advancements and the introduction of management tools and teleconferencing technology have helped companies thrive in remote work environments. As a result, it’s become quite common for employers to allow staff to work from home at least twice a week, depending on the job role. In particular, the software industry has transitioned to remote work policy for its employees in recent years as a way to escalate productivity and increase work satisfaction.
To further determine the effectiveness of remote work in boosting productivity, we’ll discuss the benefits of working from home.
Less Travelling More Work
The majority of employees commute to work regularly using public transportation or personal vehicle, and that expense definitely takes a hefty chunk from their income. Depending on the distance from home to work, the back and forth can be a significant struggle for employees, considering high fuel prices. The longer workers spend on the road, the more they invest in gas, maintenance, and repair of vehicles.
Remote working means workers no longer have to travel to reach their office, they can easily work from a location of their choice or right from home. This means employees can save money on transportation and other added costs of traveling to and from work.
Additionally, working from home has freed up time that was once taken up by traveling, which gives workers more flexibility to carry out their tasks.
Reduced Absenteeism
Absenteeism is something all companies deal with regularly, whether they’re legit sick leaves or an excuse. Software companies that adopt work-from-home policies face much lesser absences from workers. This extends from their ability to build strong virtual organizations that allow employees to work remotely in a flexible manner. You can check hr software for small businesses.
Moreover, infections spread rapidly in offices and shared work environments since people work closely together and can easily swap germs unknowingly. And this is how one sick employee ends up infecting every other individual in their vicinity. Given the current COVID – 19 pandemic, employers have implemented work from home. Allowing staff to resume work from home not only helps in flattening the curve but also doesn’t completely halt business operations.
Helps You Hire The Best Talent, Anywhere In The World
Remote work allows you to hire anyone from anywhere in the world! Location is of no consequence when you are working with remote work tools. Organizations are free to hire the most talented employees without being restricted by geography.
Remote Work Increases Job Satisfaction
Today’s generation prefers to work remotely as it gives them the flexibility and freedom to work according to their own schedule. The long commuting time and constant back and forth from places leave little to no time for leisure or any other activities, which is why 85% of millennials prefer to work from home full time. In fact, most job seekers are ready to work on lower salaries and reduced benefits as well.
Since people prefer to work from home, they are more satisfied with a remote job, which in turn increases their productivity. In addition, remote work causes reduced work-related stress that most employees experience in the average workplace. This could be due to feeling underappreciated, inability to make friends or other factors. But when you’re working from home, you are less likely to feel burdened by external pressures and can give maximum attention to your work.
Remote Employees Get More Done
Remote workers truly cherish the flexibility and convenience that accompanies their lifestyle. They learn to value their employers and their business goals and are ready to pull their weight and show promising results. Since they’re working from their preferred location, there is less likelihood of absenteeism and off-days, meaning workers are more productive and driven to deliver on time. This could be the result of zero supervision and the feel of being their own boss as many people enjoy working in solidarity and can accomplish better outcomes. A survey conducted by a job information portal known as FlexJobs reported that 76% of employees believe that there are lesser distractions outside of work, which is why they prefer the opportunity to work from home.
More Businesses are Embracing Remote Work
Technology has afforded employers the ability to effectively communicate and assign projects to teams at any time, which takes away the stress of running a traditional office. The shift towards more flexible work schedules and remote-friendly policies has helped workers and employers appreciate their work more.
Software and technology companies are leading the charge on virtual teams. Corporations like Google, Apple, Dell, and Microsoft offer remote working options to their employees. However, non-tech companies are not far behind; Salesforce.com, American Heart Association, About.com, and JetBlue are among companies that have virtual teams and employees.
To unlock the workforce’s maximum potential and upscale their virtual collaboration, companies should follow specific guidelines to ensure secure and efficient telecommunication. These guidelines are:
Embrace a Cloud-Based Storage Solution
Cloud technology is a resourceful innovation that allows teams to access a repository of services under one roof. Since it is a service particular to the organization, only authorized users to have access to it, which ensures the security of confidential and sensitive data or documents. As a result, employers can employ the tool to delegate responsibilities, and workers can leverage it to effectively perform essential tasks.
Multiple Platform Support
There are a variety of feature-packed tools up for grabs, but ensure that the ones you choose are compatible on all devices. Often, workers need to switch from mobile to desktop or tablet; this shouldn’t disrupt the workflow or cause them to lose track of their progress. Utilizing a system that synchronizes across multiple platforms ensures that employees are up-to-date on tasks and key meetings or conferences.
In a nutshell
Work from home is a win-win for employers and employees both; it saves businesses in utility and maintenance expenses, whereas it saves employees the time and expenditure of commute. Moreover, employees have the liberty to work flexibly, which increases job satisfaction and, in turn, employee productivity. In short, telecommuters are a lot more efficient as they have fewer sick days, lesser breaks, and limited distractions, so they’re dedicated to performing their best from home.
Businesses, big and small, will benefit from adopting remote working options to increase their productivity.
Do you agree? Share your thoughts below!
Noman Ali provides ghostwriting and copywriting services. His educational background in the technical field and business studies helps him in tackling topics ranging from career and business productivity to web development and digital marketing. He occasionally writes articles for Carpet Cleaning London.