New technological trends and social dynamics have changed the structure of the working world and opened the doors to a new concept of work. It gives companies and employees the opportunity to benefit from this new working environment. We are all familiar with telecommuting and working from home, which are the ways of remote working. In this article, we are going to discuss in detail, what are the benefits of remote work.
Summary
- New technological tools, together with new business requirements, have made it possible to work from home.
- Although there are some disadvantages, the efficiency and productivity of this work model have already been proven.
- Defined by Royal Decree-Law 28/202, telecommuting is “voluntary” (2), and no one can force you to do it.
16 benefits for employees and companies
You can be a freelancer, a remote worker, or an employer. Instead of being a temporary situation for all of us, it is now a new reality. There is no doubt that this new working approach brings many benefits that we should consider. Below, we have selected the 16 benefits of remote working for both employees and companies.
1. Family reconciliation
It is a big step towards family reconciliation. You may have dependents who require your constant presence at home or children who need to be taken to nursery and school. Everyone’s personal situations change, but this option benefits everyone.
You can be working from your own home or in a co-working space, which may be closer to your home, rather than having to go to the office. This allows you to stay more at home, and to balance your time with your family and friends.
2. You reduce your stress level
Aside from all the other concerns we have, stress also feeds on our hurry, the need to fit plans in, and the frustration of congestion on the road. This daily dynamic puts your health and your life behind the wheel at risk. The DGT article “Driving under stress” (3) goes into detail on this subject.
We don’t realize what danger we could become to ourselves, and to others, so why not take advantage of it, and start the day by working remotely? By doing it, you reduce the stress and the risks on the road.
3. Improve your concentration
By not staying in the office, you eliminate most of the distractions. Starting with a colleague who is too noisy on the phone or a colleague who keeps asking you to solve his/her problems. Remote working helps you to achieve your goals sooner and to focus on your priorities.
You will be responsible for your own time. In a work context, it gives employees more flexibility and autonomy in managing their schedules.
4. You increase productivity
Employees have a self-perception of “more productivity” and companies confirm this trend. But remember that being more productive does not mean being “very active”, or “working more”. Therefore, learn to disconnect. Many people suffer from stress because they don’t know how to put work aside.
Respect your rest patterns and schedules. If you are a freelancer, invest in apps like Todoist or RescueTime (they also offer a free trial version), they will help you monitor your activity and distractions. But remember: your productivity is related to your happiness (4) and not to the amount of work you do. (See other best Time Tracking Software)
Organize your work and your life
5. Reduce costs: save on petrol
Remote working might make you wrongly assume that you are not going to save on costs. After all, while you’re saving on petrol, there are also extra costs of the electricity bill. But even when we spend the most (to maintain the ideal temperature in our home, for example), we don’t spend as much as when we are on the move.
According to the OCU survey (5): “When working at home you will spend at most 3 euros a day, while your consumption just for the journey if you travel to work in a petrol car, and you do not live very far away will be almost 5 euros/day, and can exceed 8 euros/day if the distance is greater”. Do the math!
6. Not having to eat out
Try to maintain healthy habits and don’t take breaks in the kitchen. This way, you will avoid eating snacks all the time, just because they are there within reach. Rather, if you have the support of someone at home who can cook while you work, you will eat healthier and have more time to enjoy your breaks.
7. Being able to choose the place
You can choose a room in your house, or a co-working office, it’s up to you. You can also create and organize your own office, and customize it to suit your needs. This flexibility allows you to move around more easily, and not have to wait until Friday afternoon for a weekend getaway.
Being able to choose the location, for some people, means not having to move the city due to a work-related reason. Conversely, you can finally live away from a city and no longer be trapped in a flat. Physical flexibility is one of the great advantages of remote working.
8. It facilitates inclusiveness and accessibility
Imagine the vast number of talented people living in rural areas or with dependents who need a constant presence at home. Remote work enables the integration of all these talents who, for personal, physical or health reasons, are unable to travel to the workplace.
Women are one of the categories that will benefit the most. They are the ones who, in a higher percentage, remain responsible for family care. In fact, these work changes are expected to reduce the employment gap between men and women.
9. Improved quality of life: saving time
Working remotely allows you to save time. For example, all that time you spend every day preparing and commuting. So, manage that time responsibly: rest more, if that’s what you need, or dedicate it to doing some sport. Anything that makes your day more free, organized and relaxed.
“Time is money”, and you are the first one who has to understand that everything you can dedicate to your personal life is priceless. So, take advantage of this great benefit.
10. You can be your own boss
Being your own boss means that you can organize your time, your work and your personal priorities. Use this advantage responsibly to enjoy its benefits. Plan your day productively, there are many online tools, starting with Google Calendar, or Google Keep. If you are not used to so much autonomy, ask your employer for training on time management. (See other best Calendar Software)
Another option is to work as a freelancer and offer your talent to companies and decide for yourself what kind of work you want to do. Remember that the quality of your work will depend on these factors: skills, tools, communication, and well-being. Learn to manage these aspects of your work, and it will result in success and great personal satisfaction!
Schedule meetings, create and manage tasks and events
11. Cost reduction
In the USA, the company Global Workplace Analytics (7) has calculated that having a remote worker, 50% of the time, allows the company to save around 11,000 USD per year. In Europe, the average annual saving is between 1000 and 5000 EUR per employee.
Costs due to heating, air conditioning, equipment and all office-related inputs are decreasing. In addition to this, there is a reduction in real estate costs. These savings can be very high, and depending on the type of organization, can have a big impact on a company’s financial statement.
12. Reduced employee turnover
Employee turnover has many causes. One of them is the difficulty of balancing professional and personal life. For the company, hiring and training an employee involves an investment that translates into a cost when the employee is dismissed. Working remotely undoubtedly produces a better work-life balance.
Flexible working hours and physical flexibility results in more motivated employees committed to the company. Consequently, layoffs due to this cause will be reduced. The direct outcome of this, is a higher productivity rate and a reduction in HR costs, as turnover and absenteeism are reduced too.
13. Access to better professionals
This is a great opportunity for companies that can work off-site. Those talents who, in the past, would have rejected your proposal for physical reasons, are now within your reach.
Remote work has no boundaries, it is accessible to all talents with motivation and an Internet connection. Therefore, you have the possibility to attract highly qualified people into your team.
14. Promote innovation and entrepreneurship
We have already seen how remote work allows companies to save on costs. This is how you can afford to invest in new projects and innovation. Working remotely also means constantly keeping up with technology, and investing in the best tools. So that your company and your employees remain competitive.
Invest in cybersecurity and ICT. Offer training to your team, or courses in digitalization, time management and cybersecurity. Emagister is a portal that offers many courses in this area.
State-subsidized course: Innovate your knowledge in the cybersecurity sector
15. Increased compliance with objectives
With remote working, companies no longer concentrate on the number of hours and their organisation throughout the day. Work is now organised by objectives and productivity, understood as quality, is more important. It is a system that works.
Make sure your employees know how to disconnect from work. Take an interest in their psychophysical health and encourage it. In fact, some managers have begun to fear the burnout of their companies’ talents. In this NY Times article, “Did your productivity increase with the pandemic?” (8), managers of the biggest companies express their fears about this.
16. Sustainability and impact of office CO₂ reductions on marketing
It is clear that by reducing car commuting and reducing CO₂ emissions produced by offices, we create a great social benefit. Did you know that in the US alone, 26 million tonnes of additional CO₂ are produced by road traffic?
Let your customers know it. Integrate the value of the environment into your marketing campaigns and your company philosophy, and create an Employer Branding. Employees who identify with these values will be even more committed to your projects.
Conclusion
We all miss the experience of face-to-face work, but it doesn’t all have to be black and white. The good thing about remote working is that it also offers different combinations. The new model of mixed working has proven to be the most effective and meets the need for autonomy and flexibility, as well as the need to be seen in the office.
Overall, we believe that however challenging it may be, remote working brings much more benefits than disadvantages. Working remotely requires not only the right aptitude, but also a great sense of responsibility. No abuse of time and resources. The office has not disappeared, it just has changed its role.
References
1. “BOE.es – BOE-A-2020-11043 Real Decreto-ley 28/2020, de 22 de septiembre, de trabajo a distancia.” (n.d.). Boe.es. Retrieved October 4, 2022.
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2. “BOE.es – BOE-A-2020-11043 Real Decreto-ley 28/2020, de 22 de septiembre, de trabajo a distancia. (n.d.). Boe.es. Retrieved October 4, 2022.
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3. Altran (n.d.). Driving under stress. Dgt.es. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
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4. Oswald, A. J., Proto, E., & Sgroi, D. (2015). Happiness and productivity. Journal of Labor Economics, 33(4), 789-822.
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5. how much is saved by telecommuting (2022, August 26).
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6. New work models change the eating habits of 63% of Spaniards (2020, November 11). ASEFAPRE.
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7. Latest work-at-Home/Telecommuting/Remote Work Statistics (2009, February 3). Global Workplace Analytics.
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8. Gelles, D. (2020, June 29). did your productivity increase with the pandemic? The New York times.
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9. (N.d.). Edenred.es. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
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