Key Advantages to Embracing Remote Work

Do businesses feel threatened by remote working? Maybe.

It’s easy to see why so many business owners are opposed to the very idea of remote work. To these individuals, reporting to an office is a crucial part of the work experience, and working from home is conducive to procrastination and loss of focus.

While this line of thought is somewhat understandable, the facts tell a different story. In fact, a recent Stanford University study reveals that remote work has been linked to a 13% increase in worker efficiency.

Furthermore, as many enterprises have learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, many workers are perfectly willing and able to perform their job duties from the comfort and safety of home. As such, business owners who are still on the fence about remote work would do well to consider the following perks.

Decreased Employee Stress Levels

It’s no secret that working can be a tremendously stressful experience.

While a lot of worker stress can be linked to heavy workloads and excessive hours, a fair amount of it is attributable to operating on the schedule of one’s employer.

Most people working traditional office jobs have to get up at uncomfortably early hours, brave frustrating commutes and navigate interoffice politics – among other cumbersome tasks.

On the flip side, working from home allows people to enjoy healthier sleep schedules and attend to their job duties in a fully relaxed setting.

Additionally, while many remote workers still regularly interact with their bosses and colleagues, not being physically present can offset much of the stress created by internal cliques and power struggles.

We exist in a “work or die” culture that stresses the idea that if people aren’t constantly running themselves ragged, they’re not working hard enough. Unsurprisingly, this mindset is highly conducive to stress, anxiety and depression.

Although performing one’s job duties from home won’t do away with this stress entirely, it can dramatically diminish stress levels and make the overall work experience seem considerably more manageable.

Increased Employee Loyalty

Many members of the workforce feel undervalued by their respective employers.

Needless to say, if one of your team members doesn’t feel as if their efforts are recognized or appreciated, they’re likely to jump at the chance to pursue other opportunities.

After all, if you don’t show loyalty to your workers, there’s no reason to expect them to show it to you.

Additionally, if there aren’t any real perks associated with staying with your enterprise, it’s only natural that your team members would seek out new employers.

On the flipside, providing your employees with the option to work from home is a great way to increase worker retention.

For example, even if they’re offered a better-paying position elsewhere, certain employees may be hesitant to accept if telecommuting isn’t an option.

Since working from home provides people with an enviable degree of flexibility, they’re unlikely to give up remote work once they’ve gotten a taste of it.

Furthermore, some workforce members are even opting to quit their old jobs instead of returning to the office full-time. The better you treat your employees, the more apt they’ll be to stick with your enterprise through thick and thin.

Reduced Operational Expenses

Embracing remote work can also be a boon to your financial bottom line. The fewer people working in your office, the less you’ll need to spend on utilities, refreshments and assorted work supplies.

Additionally, if a fair number of your team members are interested in telecommuting full-time, you may even want to consider renting out a smaller office space. After all, if most of your staff prefers to work from home, there’s no sense in spending a small fortune to rent a larger workspace than you require.

To get a good sense of how much money remote work stands to save your business, enlist the aid of some high-quality business analysis tools.

Not every business owner is a fan of remote work. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, a fair number of these naysayers were forced to change their tune out of necessity.

Additionally, certain enterprises resolved to continue embracing remote work even after normalcy has been restored. So, if you’re considering pulling the plug on remote work post-pandemic, you’d be wise to put the brakes on and ruminate on the benefits discussed above.