Key Takeaways
1. Understanding why remote work has so many benefits is just as important as knowing what the benefits of remote work are.
2. Remote work enhances productivity because it naturally shifts the focus from how an employee is spending their time in an office to actual, measurable performance results.
3. Flexibility is the most important employee-related benefit of remote work. Nearly all the reasons employees benefit from remote work are linked to its flexibility.
4. Remote work is the way of the future; hiring a global workforce is a powerful way to have a competitive edge and prepare for the future.
Introduction
In a pre-pandemic experiment reported in The Quarterly Journal of Economics, remote working led to a 13% performance increase, an attrition rate cut by half, and improved work satisfaction. After the experiment, over half the staff switched to working from home, which led to additional gains for the company.
You are probably already familiar with some of the benefits of remote work—but what is just as important as knowing the benefits is understanding the why behind them. Why does productivity spike from remote working? Why does it contribute so much to employee health and wellbeing?
This article will list the benefits while unpacking why remote work benefits both employers and employees.
What are the benefits of remote work for employers?
1. Remote work enhances productivity
You will find productivity cited as a benefit in nearly every article you read about remote work. But why is this?
Remote working naturally shifts the focus from how an employee is spending their time (how much it looks like they’re working) to actual, measurable performance results.
The conversations shift from time-related (“Can I leave 15 minutes early today?”) to results-oriented (“I can have this back to you by tomorrow morning.”) This opens a multitude of employee-related benefits while also allowing the employer to focus on what matters most to the business. It allows for leaders to create conversations based on deliverables and to evaluate employee performance more clearly. It frees up time for both the employer and employee.
2. Remote work increases profits
The idea of cutting back or cost saving no longer needs to be a negative term that leaves employees having to do more with fewer resources. With remote work, it means the opposite. Saving costs can be associated with more freedom and benefits, creating a win-win for everyone.
Office space and operational costs are significant expenses for businesses. Having a hybrid or fully remote team can save an exponential amount of money and resources. It opens doors for more financial creativity (i.e., offering remote work allowances, health and wellness benefits, professional development opportunities, employment opportunities, higher salaries, etc.) Employees save costs through reduced need for petrol/gasoline, car maintenance, a professional wardrobe, bought lunches, and more.
It goes without saying that retaining employees by offering sustainable work options also saves costs.
3. Remote work opens access to more expertise
Remote work expands your hiring pool from a limited, hour radius around an office to a global pool of expertise.
It opens up a world of opportunities. Traditional positions can be broken down and reimagined. Scalability can be less risky and more attainable. Virtual employees can solve a range of needs.
4. Remote work is the future
Sources like INC.com are projecting that remote work will be the way of the future, simply due to the above-mentioned boosts to productivity, profitability, and morale.
By leaning into the benefits of remote work, your company will be more competitively advanced, cutting-edge, and future-proof than those who are resistant to change.
What are the benefits of remote work for employees?
1. Remote work offers flexibility
Flexibility is really the umbrella that covers nearly every employee-related benefit of remote work. Better work-life balance and employee wellbeing all stem from flexible working patterns.
2. Flexibility allows for autonomy over work schedules
Remote work allows an employee to be able to work in a way that best suits them. Maybe that means a Pomodoro method of focused spurts of work with frequent short breaks. Maybe it means being able to work around other responsibilities, like picking kids up from school, instead of having to leave work early or constantly take time off. It allows for the ability to set up a custom home office.
Each person’s life and situation is unique, so why apply the same traditional working limitations across the board if it’s not necessary to do so? If employees know what their work responsibilities and deadlines are, remote work gives them the power to create a schedule that works for them while fulfilling those responsibilities (and being much happier doing it.) Read our tips on how to engage remote employees and keep your team connected.
3. Flexibility contributes to employee health and wellbeing
Firstly, remote work cuts commute time. Commuting over just 10 miles one way is linked to a host of negative health issues, including increased anxiety, blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol.
Secondly, it allows more time and opportunity for physical activity. Employees can more easily go to the gym, take walk breaks, join a sports or activity club, etc. They are also able to cook from home more easily and eat healthier while saving money.
Thirdly, employees can live more meaningfully, which inspires a sense of fulfillment and wellness. Flexible working lets people spend more quality time with family and friends in ways they can’t when working traditionally. It lets them participate in activities that are important to them—all while still being able to produce the same deliverables.
Additionally, it allows for people to work during special circumstances, like recovering from surgery or an illness, or adapting to a disability or health need.
4. Flexibility offers the freedom to work from anywhere
While the degree of freedom varies, this kind of freedom is a powerful and attractive perk. Remote work opportunities can allow people to travel and be digital nomads. It can free people to be able to work in places that inspire them, like coffee shops or scenic locations. And most commonly, it gives people the freedom to not even have to leave their homes.
Conclusion
The benefits of remote work for both employers and employees are undeniable. Flexible working options just make sense in a world that is more connected than ever before. It provides a level of sustainability that the global workforce is starting to view as a requirement rather than a privilege.
Hiring and onboarding remote employees is the next step for companies wanting to reap all the benefits that remote work can offer, moving competitively into the future. To keep things simple, Horizons can help recruit and hire remote workers all over the world, keeping you in full compliance with the law. For more tips, read our guide on how to hire remotely.
If you need our assistance with hiring a global workforce, please do not hesitate to contact us today.
Frequently asked questions
Remote working improves productivity because it shifts the focus from how an employee is spending their time to what they are actually producing.
Each person’s circumstances, style of working and personality is different. Focusing on the deliverables allows for each person to produce what is needed while working in ways that suit them best.
Flexibility is the key benefit that runs through nearly every perk of remote work. Better work-life balance, increased health and wellbeing, and freedom to work from anywhere all stem from the flexibility of remote work.
