20 Advantages of Remote Working for Employees and Employers
Milton Herman
The benefits of remote working can be just as advantageous for the employer as the employee. Working out a mutually agreeable situation for both is ideal, as remote working is growing in popularity.
Is remote working just about saving money?
No, not at all. Remote working has all kinds of benefits including staff motivation, increased productivity, and employee retention. And remote working doesn't just apply to staff that work from home (telecommuting). It includes freelancers, contract workers, frontline workers, international workers, etc.
In addition, a remote company can still have a presence with an office. One of the benefits of remote working is that employees spend a couple of days in the office and the rest at home, which ensures everyone stays in touch face-to-face.
Over the past few years, remote working has become a way of life for many of us. And since the Covid-19 crisis, it has become the ‘new normal’ for many employees. One day people were working in their offices, the next they were connecting their laptops from home, instant messaging colleagues on Slack, and planning schedules on Trello.
Freelancers have seen office colleagues join them in the freedom of having no one breathing down their neck checking their work, being able to manage their own schedules, and having time-saving remote meetings on the intranet platform.
What are the benefits of remote working for employees?
1. Freedom and Flexibility
Remote workers appreciate their freedom. They can plan their day to suit both their work and home life, as long as they do the set hours at the right time. Having the flexibility to attend medical appointments, watch the kids’ basketball game, or take elderly parents shopping can lighten the load. And not having to ask special permission or fit in with other team members takes the pressure off too. When an employer allows employees this kind of freedom it builds trust and gives more job satisfaction.
2. Cost saving
Going to work can be expensive. You’ve got travel costs, parking, lunch, coffee and snacks, birthday cakes, colleague presents, clothes for work… the list is endless. Some employers even give refreshment or clothing allowances as a benefit. Remote working saves on these expenses, which can add up to a substantial amount. This means more disposable income available for other things, which is always a good thing.
Childcare costs can also reduce with remote working, as parents can spend more time at home (although we don't advise working with young children around!).
3. Save time
As well as saving time on commuting, having a remote job means employees manage their own schedules. Some people work better in the mornings than in the afternoons. And some come alive with ideas in the evenings. As long as the time you’re working doesn't affect your colleagues and you meet deadlines then you can work when you wish.
Working remotely also saves time traveling to and being in meetings as modern technology means teams can video call on the intranet.
4. Location
Another one of the benefits of working remotely for employees is that they can work from anywhere. People don’t have to be bound to a city that doesn't correspond to their standards or preference, which also helps avoid unnecessary travelling. If a spouse has to be based or allocated in a particular location, remote working allows partners to keep their job, or at least ease the transition period. Working remotely means it doesn't matter if you live at the top of a mountain or next to the sea. As long as you have a good internet connection you can work from any location in the world.
5. Peace and quiet
A traditional office is often noisy and distracting. Phones are ringing, people are talking, and there’s a general buzz. Whilst this is great from a social point of view it can be difficult to work in this environment. Some people need to work in total silence to focus. Working remotely, particularly from home, can allow for creative thinking and greater productivity. Whether there’s a great view from the window or a brick wall – silence is golden.
6. Health and happiness
Commuting every day and being in an office isn't the healthiest way to spend time. Remote workers have the advantage of not coming into contact with other people (which is especially important in the light of Covid-19) and catching unwanted germs from coughs and colds.
Mental health can also improve with remote working, as there is less stress, and working in your own environment can be relaxing. And happy employees are productive and motivated which leads to better quality work.
7. You’re not alone
In the past remote working was seen as something just for freelancers or the self-employed. But not any longer. Since the recent Covid-19 pandemic there’s been a rapid increase in working from home and the benefits of remote working for employers have become visible. This means remote working no longer has the stigma of sitting at home in your pajamas all day not doing very much. Today’s remote workers are building a professional reputation as the employees of the future.
8. Work/life balance
The ability to work remotely offers a better work/life balance. Working away from the office can make you feel in control of your life and give you more time to plan both work and home tasks. This gives a sense of achievement and makes employees more productive. When working remotely:
- There’s no rush to catch a train or sit in traffic
- You don´t have to carry files or your laptop
- You can take a break when you need one
- There are no stressful office politics
- You get more family time
9. Comfortable environment
One of the advantages of remote working means you can set up your office or workspace as you want it. You don’t have to worry about colleagues complaining if you’re untidy. And if you’re the obsessively tidy one in the office you can focus on your own area.
Many people are more productive in their own environment. If you telecommute or are a freelancer and work from home you can set up your desk where you want it, close the door if you wish, and listen to music if it helps you express your creativity.
10. Personalize
If you work remotely and have your own office space you can personalize it to reflect your personality. You can put up as many pictures of your kids and animals as you wish, to create an inspiring workspace. This is all about making your work area totally yours, with your favorite plants or your prized baseball cap collection.
You spend many hours working so an office space you love to spend time in can increase your output. Remote employees can make their workspace as bright or plain as they wish.
How to manage a remote or hybrid team
Reflecting on the impacts of the pandemic on today's workforce, this white paper explains the most critical trends in management and how you can improve processes in your company.
What are the benefits of remote working for employers?
1. Cost saving
One of the benefits of staff working from home for employers is the cost savings. Even if you still rent an office, employees can hot desk, which saves on space. Depending on whether the organization is completely virtual or not, employers can also save on:
- Rent
- Utilities (water, electricity, Wi-Fi)
- Building maintenance
- Cleaning
- Provision of a coffee shop or restaurant
- Equipment
- Furniture
If you outsource to freelancers there’s no need to provide expensive tech equipment as many work at home and already have their own office equipment.
2. Positivity
Is working remotely a good idea for teams? We believe so as it can increase communication and integration. Team members can keep in touch through a modern company intranet, so it's as if they’re in the office anyway.
Working together efficiently like this can promote positive feelings and motivation. This can lead to employees going the extra mile, when perhaps you need them to work late or produce a stunning presentation. Remote employees also tend to be happier than office workers, making them good advocates for the company.
3. Pool of talent
Business owners have a wider choice of staff when selecting remote workers. Hires don’t have to be local and can be anywhere in the world, depending on time zones. This provides a greater opportunity to find staff with specialized skills, therefore saving on training.
Another one of the benefits of hiring remote workers is that there are no relocation costs for the company, which can run into thousands of dollars. And today’s millennials almost expect to have the choice of working remotely as they’ve grown up with technology that allows this.
4. Reduction in absenteeism
If any employee feels a little under the weather they’re more likely to keep working if they work from home. They don't have to travel whilst feeling unwell and can rest if they need to. Someone who has a long journey is much more likely to call in sick than if they just have to walk from one room to another.
This also applies to time off for appointments or events. If an employee can structure their day around their work they won’t take unnecessary time off.
5. Time
In the busy world we live in time is invaluable and we never seem to have enough of it. So another of the benefits of remote working for employers is that employees will use their time more productively if they work from home. As well as less time spent traveling, working from home reduces office gossip time, lateness, and time wasted in the coffee shop.
Timing is also about when a business is open. If a company employees people all over the world they can be open 24/7.
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6. Office politics
A fact of business life is office politics. It happens in small scale companies and multi-million dollar organizations. People will always cause or experience difficult situations. There will always be likes and dislikes, tears, or anger in a working environment. And it’s the managers and human resources staff who have to sort out these problems for the good of the business. Without the temptation of office politics staff are more productive and not so concerned about whether Jack spent 10 minutes chatting with Nora at the vending machine.
7. Loyalty
Flexible working builds loyalty. This is another one of the benefits of allowing employees to work from home. And loyalty leads to trust from the employer and the employee. When an employee feels their boss trusts them to do their job in their own way this builds respect.
Loyalty also means employee retention, as staff won't look for another job if they’re happy where they are. This is a cost saving for the company as it avoids new hires and it also retains skills.
8. Productivity
Productivity is essential to the growth of an organization. And productive employees mean greater efficiency and more profit. Employees can be more productive when working from home as it’s in their interest to get the job done effectively and not waste time.
Likewise, a quick meeting on the intranet is far more effective than everyone trailing to a meeting room, the meeting taking 10 minutes to start and then running over its time. These benefits of remote meetings make people more productive as they have more time to get the job done.
9. Technology
With today’s technology, there’s no excuse for employers not to reap the benefits of a remote workforce. Internet connection and a good digital workplace platform means employees have access to all the apps they need to do their work. Collaboration suites (Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace) messaging apps, task management tools, your intranet platform and many other digital collaboration tools are all here to improve the work of any remote worker.
And there’s no reason to be in the office. You can even include employee profiles and social networking apps on a modern intranet, making it more desirable to use.
10. Communication
When employees start working remotely they sometimes find it strange. They’re not used to the silence and the absence of office chat. But this can also encourage better communication as people learn to talk to who they need to, when they need to, without wasting time. It can also promote colleagues to get to know each other through messenger apps and chats and find out how they can benefit each other. Communication grows with remote working as it prompts collaboration.
How to manage remote and hybrid teams
Reflecting on the impacts of the pandemic on today's workforce, this white paper explains the most critical trends in management and how you can improve processes in your company.
