Working from home or remote working is something that has been on the cards for a while now. It is something that more employers have been offering to employees and something that increasing amounts of employees or job seekers have been asking for. It’s not necessarily that people want or expect to work from home every day, but they are looking for the option and flexibility. Some employers have been reluctant in the past and worried that their staff wouldn’t perform as well as they would in the office or that they would lose some of the control they have.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced most people to work from home and it looks like this will be something that is here to stay even when the virus has gone or the vaccines have been administered. Luckily there are several benefits to working from home which companies and employees have now experienced and are now likely to keep working this way:
It’s Good For The Environment
No one can argue that the roads have been quieter and according to entrepreneur Dee Agarwal, the decline in vehicle usage alone has led to a dramatic reduction in concentrations of nitrogen dioxide and other particulate matter across the globe. Companies are always looking for ways they can go greener as they know that this is something that customers and clients expect and look for today. If having people work at home cuts down air pollution then this could be good for business.
Increased productivity
As mentioned, employers have been reluctant in the past to offer the benefit of working from home as they have been worried that their staff wouldn’t work as well. However, what the pandemic has shown is that actually, workers are far more productive when working from home. There are fewer distractions at home, fewer interruptions, and employees will often work longer hours because they are saving time on their commute. Staff also feel more trusted by their employers as they’re not as closely monitored as they would be in the office, this is also something that makes them more productive and more motivated.
Financial benefits
There are plenty of financial benefits to allowing people to work from home and even if it is something that employers offer as a choice when the pandemic is over, it will still save on office space, supplies, and utility bills.
Improved staff health and wellbeing
As working from home eliminates the need for the commute among other things, it can mean that staff is less stressed and they get additional health benefits such as more sleep, more time to exercise, time to prepare healthier meals, and more time to spend with their family. This then also gives them a healthier work-life balance as they can fit in household chores around their working day which gives them more free time in the evenings.
Improved employee retention
In your business, it makes sense to want to attract the best talent but then also retain the staff you have. When you offer the flexibility of home working even if it is just for a couple of days a week, this can help employees in their personal lives and as you trust them to work from home they will feel increased levels of trust from you, which can contribute greatly to staff loyalty.