Remote working is great because it offers flexibility, efficiency, and freedom. It is therefore at no surprise that it’s becoming increasingly popular, and many companies are starting to allow their employees to work from home. But how does this affect their performance? In this blog, we’ll discuss the effect that remote working has on employees and 6 reasons why this way of working will benefit your company.
With greater autonomy comes greater responsibility for employees. They must take on tasks that would usually be delegated to managers who are present in the office, such as leading and owning projects. For remote working to be effective, managers must trust their employees to get the job done without constant supervision and take on a more facilitating role. These changes are highly welcomed by your current workforce.
Knowing that you can work from anywhere increases employee morale because they know they are trusted by their company. Employees who are allowed flexibility in where and how they work are happier and more engaged with their jobs than those who aren't allowed this freedom. A survey by the Kenexa High Performance Institute found that 68% of employees with inflexible schedules experience unreasonable levels of stress. This is a shocking number, as only 20% of employees with flexible schedules felt the same way.
With no commute, employees have more time in the day to get their tasks done and make a difference in their company. Commuting has a direct impact on energy levels and concentration levels. People who work from home have more control over when and where they work, which means that they are more likely to be able to maintain a good level of concentration. Someone who lives an hour's commute away from work may have a much harder time focusing when they finally arrive. On top of that, the lack of needing to commute also has a positive effect on the environment and significantly reduces pollution.
Working remotely offers employees the opportunity to enjoy more life outside of work. They have time to enjoy with their family or to pursue a hobby that they wouldn't be able to do if they had a regular office job. When employees feel like they don't have enough time in the day, they can be prone to burnout. Employees who feel more comfortable in their surroundings will be happier and therefore more productive at work – something which benefits everyone involved.
At Workwize, we believe that the possibility to work remotely will accelerate the inclusion of large groups of talented workers, regardless of race, sex or geography, and will therefore contribute to a larger talent pool. For example, if you have a job where you're expected to be in an office for most of the day, your transportation options are limited. You might live in a place where public transport isn't great, or your employer may not subsidise your travel costs. There’s also a huge benefit for employees who have family living abroad. Instead of having to request holidays, they can now work remotely while spending time with their family.
When focused on output, one of the biggest advantages of remote working is that it maximises employee productivity by removing distractions like co-workers, phone calls, and constant interruptions. This focus allows them to have higher productivity and more time dedicated to the tasks with a high priority.
Solving the employee-parking problem is one of many advantages of remote working. You can also reduce the cost of office space or eliminate these costs. On top of that, working from home saves money on commuting costs. Your employees don't have to drive to and from work every day or pay for public transportation.
Convinced? Now it’s time to actually make working remotely possible in the best possible way. Workwize is a proud advocate and facilitator of remote working and offers everything you need to smoothly transition towards remote work, whether this is hybrid or fully remote. With our software solution, your employees can order their own office supplies with a pre-determined budget.
Interested to know what we can do for your company? Book a free demo today.