Benefits of working remotely
Remote work has a number of benefits for employees, businesses, and even society. Here are the most important ones:
- balancing life with work,
- save time and money,
- increase in productivity,
- increase the attractiveness of the company,
- Reducing stress, conflicts and absenteeism,
- low pollution,
1. Better work-life balance through greater flexibility
Time spent in transportation, especially in big cities, is a real problem for millions of people around the world. Who likes to waste an hour or more commuting to work and coming home after a busy day?
With remote work, these commuting hours can be used for other tasks, especially because it will help the employee feel less physical and mental fatigue. The freshness and increased energy of the employees will surely lead to better results for the companies.
2. Save time and money
By staying home, everyone has more time to devote to what they love to do: go to the gym, see their family, or why not spend more time at work.
Another beneficial result for the employee and the company, the employee will save money that he previously spent on gasoline or public transportation. Finally, the company will be able to have smaller and better offices.
In short, telecommuting provides significant savings for the company and employees.
3. Increase productivity
An employee’s performance can increase dramatically because he will focus his energy on doing his job well. No more wasting energy on public transportation, traffic jams or coffee breaks: Focus increases because there are fewer distractions when an employee works from home.
A study by Owl Labs showed that 79% of workers say they are more focused when working from home.
4. Fewer disputes in the company
In a “classic” work environment, we spend many hours in the office, perhaps more often than at home. It’s only natural that by spending a lot of time together, some conflicts can blossom.
Remote work can greatly reduce them. For managers and employees who have to juggle this kind of atmosphere, working from home can be a breath of fresh air. But, whether or not you work remotely, it is crucial for leaders to know how to manage conflicts at work as they affect employee well-being and thus employee performance.
5. Reducing stress
Stress is one of the biggest epidemics in our society: having to rush to work and then go to nursery, not having time to go to the gym, spending time in a noisy environment…
This new way of working makes it possible to greatly reduce these negative elements that tire many people, and that make them less happy and satisfied in their work.
If you feel stressed at work and are not given remote work, you can read our tips for being positive at work. Getting into the habit of positive thinking will bring you more clarity and help you take a step back.
6. Retaining talent and attracting new employees
How many people are willing to give up their luxury? any. Today, to achieve this, many present remote work as an important criterion. More and more people are making it a priority when looking for a job or negotiating a new contract.
If your business is unwilling to change, you risk losing some of your most skilled workers. And you will lose talented people who would not be interested in joining your company for this very reason.
7. Reducing pollution
We know this all too well: We all have our part to play in preserving the planet, which appears to be in slightly greater danger each year due to human activity.
Equally important is the reduction in pollution that may result from reduced travel, which remains a concern for the majority of workers. And yes, telecommuting is also a societal benefit and an environmentally friendly practice.
8. Reduce absenteeism
In view of the various advantages presented in this article, it is not surprising to find that this way of working leads to a staggering reduction in absenteeism and a reduction in the number of accidents and absenteeism.
Disadvantages of working remotely
Are there really any downsides to implementing this new form of business? Yes, and you know some for sure. Others may surprise you and end up affecting your team:
- employee disengagement,
- uselessness of buildings,
- Lack of control over employees.
- the complexity of working in a team,
- A necessary but sometimes difficult cultural change,
- isolation
- Risk of disclosure of confidential data.
1. Disengagement of the worker from the company
One of the unfortunate consequences of working remotely is that the employee deals less with the company and his colleagues. The fact of not meeting and not sharing a common space means that the worker gradually risks losing the sense of belonging that binds him to the company. In the medium or long term, this can particularly dampen the employee’s motivation.
If you have problems with motivation at work, read our dedicated advice in the article “How to get motivated at work? »
2. Company buildings become useless
If all employees start working from home, the buildings in which the company invests money every month are useless. However, fixed costs such as rent, water or electricity continue to incur the company’s money.
So, should we continue to pay rent if the majority of employees stay home? The solution may be to find new, smaller, and less expensive places, but searching and relocating takes time and money.
3. Lack of control over the employee
Although work is increasingly measured by goals and outcomes like turnover or number of customers signed rather than the number of hours they spend in the office, there are still jobs today that you couldn’t do otherwise, such as customer service.
How do you ensure respect for working hours? There are digital tools like Tick that help with control, but our advice is to trust your team.
4. Difficulty working in a team
More and more tasks and projects require meetings between collaborators. But working from home makes meeting employees more difficult if there is no physical place to do so.
Virtual meetings can be held, but they are not always convenient and the effectiveness of these virtual meetings does not match the actual meetings.
5. Changing the culture and organization of the company
In remote work, the organization and the way the company operates may change, whether you like it or not. If employees leave the office, the company will have to make a small change in its philosophy.
You have to prepare for it, because such changes will inevitably have consequences for the culture of the company, and proper training is necessary to give a true identity to the organization.
6. Solitude
Human contact remains important to mental health. Thus, the absence of a work environment and a lack of relationships with colleagues can lead the employee to exclude himself and feel excessively lonely.
7. Data privacy risks
Cyber attacks remain one of the biggest risks facing businesses. Many jobs and jobs that are performed out of the office can jeopardize the privacy of company data.
If security is one of the biggest issues facing businesses today, how do you protect yourself when all the employees are working from different locations?
Remote work, any solution?
Few companies can continue to live normally if their teams work from home. But telecommuting has many advantages, especially for employees, and banning this practice can provoke great resentment today.
the ideal solution? Allow flexibility. Two solutions are available to you:
- Leave the choice to everyone in your company to do what they want. It can be annoying if everyone chooses to work remotely, but the freedom it offers will be greatly appreciated by the employees as well as the people you are trying to hire.
- Allow telecommuting two to three days a week, such as Mondays and Fridays. This flexibility will be appreciated and the company will be able to continue to live (almost) as before, while reducing the negative effects of working remotely by 100%.
In any case, do not be closed to new ways of working. Changes represent opportunities, not threats!