Top Reasons Why Working Remotely Is a Good Idea Even After the COVID-19 Scare
The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in a major disruption of business. Most countries have been forced to impose lockdowns in various forms making working from remote locations the only viable way of keeping businesses afloat. As torrid the situation is, for many organizations and their employees working remotely is a new experience, especially on a large scale and opens up a whole new world of benefits. A quick look at the prime benefits of working remotely for both employers and employees and why it can be a good idea to continue it even after the restoration of normalcy:
Enhanced Talent Pool
Working remotely means that now companies can hire the best people they can afford regardless of the location. Many good workers are often reluctant to relocate to even a better job due to personal reasons like spouse’s work, schooling for the children, the hassle of finding new accommodation, and settling down in an unfamiliar city. With the constraints of a physical office location gone, employees can be based just about anywhere they like. Some companies may, however, wish to restrict the hiring to specific time zones for reasons of convenience.
Better Employee Retention
When organizations facilitate employees to work remotely, they benefit from a better retention rate. Firstly, employees do not quit because they have been asked to relocate, their work-life balance is usually far better, they have more flexibility in work schedules, they are less likely to be absent due to minor illnesses, and pregnancies and early motherhood are less disruptive. According to Forbes.com, companies can achieve a 12% reduction in employee attrition after allowing remote working.
Less Office Infrastructure
With a large number of workers working remotely, it is evident that organizations will have less requirement of expensive office space and other infrastructure as well as reduced cost of lighting, air-conditioning, water, and office maintenance. For large organizations, this savings can be quite significant and the benefits flow straight to the bottom line.
Better Work-Life Balance
Today’s generation wants much more out of life and demands a healthy work-life balance. Many remote jobs also permit workers to have work schedules that are flexible, which means that they can work the number of hours they want and when they want and are only responsible for completing their work on time. This permits them to weave in many essential activities like dropping off the kids to school, picking up groceries, going to the gym in an off-peak time, attending to doctor’s appointments, and even opening the door to the plumber or electrician. Being able to attend all the essential activities has the effect of reducing stress, and increasing the happiness quotient.
Money Savings
A study of Global Workplace Analytics reveals that people working from home even half of the time can save in the region of $2,000-6,500 per year because they do not have to spend on items like gas, car maintenance, parking fees, office clothes, bought out lunches, and even child care. This has the effect of making more money available in their pockets.
Conclusion
With a remote working facility, both employers and employees can benefit significantly. Employee efficiency and productivity increase and office overheads reduce while the employee can achieve a better work-life balance, and save both money and time.