Even though companies are truly opening now, and the employees are returning to the offices, for many this will be under a system that combines office and home work. Many people have been surprised of how they have thrived with working from home. But do they know exactly which advantages are associated with remote work?
With hybrid work models, some days may happen at home and others at the office. Both individual work and the social community are hereby prioritised, and the employees’ work styles can be valued in equal amounts. To make it clear why companies may profitably continue to implement remote work into their work structures, MyDesk presents an overview of the five biggest advantages of working from home.
Better work-life balance
A home workplace opens for the possibility of a better balance between professional and private activities. A workday can easily be extended by two to three hours of commuting that are unproductive and generally lead to increased levels of stress as well as other health challenges. Thus, working from home saves time and strength, and the relatively useless time spent commuting may instead be put to more giving and meaningful activities. When not bound to the office, one is able to structure the day, and how one wishes to prioritise chores, duties, and interests to a much higher extent. However, to have this balance function optimally, a clear separation of work and private life might be necessary with specific rooms or areas solely dedicated to the work for defined time slots. Modern companies may profitably be organised to the prerequisites and needs of the employee, so that they may render their best effort which for some is the case from the home office.
Increased productivity
Many offices have issues with disruptive elements such as noise, interruptions, forced coffee conversations etc. If one needs immersion in their tasks, these can be great challenges that may hinder productivity and the quality of work as well as lead to stress, lack of wellbeing, and an aversion to the job. Thus, half a day of focused, deep home work may be far more valuable than a full day of ineffective, interrupted office work. By minimizing the constant interruptions, the employee can focus on what is important as well as gain an increased sense of satisfaction. Furthermore, the home office may be set up to the person’s own wishes and needs that may include everything from motivating wall decorations to what kind of music they listen to while working. These initiatives can be important for the productivity of the individual and may be difficult to fulfil from the office. Thus, many people have experienced in the last year and a half that they have been working more effectively and productively at home than they normally would have at the office.
Reduced expenses
Employee and company both have the opportunity to save a lot of money with remote work. By minimizing commuting, the employee’s expenses for gasoline, commuter cards and tickets, snacks for the trip etc. are reduced or eliminated completely. The company can save on areas such as desks, office supplies, cleaning, parking, utilities as well as rent, thus making the utilization of remote work highly financially sensible.
Reduced climate strain
The reduced commute caused by remote work has a significant effect on the climate with reduced C02 emissions as well as oil and gasoline consumption. Furthermore, fewer employees in the offices means less use of paper, cleaning materials, air conditioning, heating, and light as well as a reduction in the extent of food waste. With the substantial attention that global warming, climate change, environmental awareness etc. has received the last few years, the utilization of remote work is a simple method with which all of us have the opportunity to contribute.
Greater flexibility
The perhaps biggest advantage and most important reason for the utilization of remote work is flexibility. If one has been used to rigid structures of fixed work hours and spaces, having to administer the day for oneself can be a big change. However, the freedom that comes with this process can prove to be highly beneficial for the individual that gets the opportunity to experience which work style fits them. Thus, the implementation of flexibility becomes a personal and professional course of development that ultimately leads to increased wellbeing and greater insight into one’s own values, strengths and needs. The old one-size-fits-all model in which everyone works the same is no longer relevant. Luckily, many companies realize that the flexible approach to work life with individual adaptation is the way forward towards improved freedom, satisfaction and wellbeing for the employee and thus return for the company.
Remote work is here to stay
Whether the choice is a hybrid model, where everyone alternates between working from home and the office, or it is up to the individual where they always work the best, there is no doubt that remote work is here to stay with several advantages that we have tried to list here. MyDesk is the cloud-based system for administration of flexible work spaces that is accessible from all platforms regardless of location and thus is the safe choice for companies who wish to efficiently implement remote work and hybrid systems as well as revise their office settings.
At MyDesk, we are convinced that the organization of work structures should happen to accommodate the individual. That is why it is most welcome that upon reopening many companies choose not to force all employees back to the office at the same time to continue to comply with measures of social distance as well as take advantage of the good experience of remote work which has been gained in the last year and a half.
In our next blog we present a guide of how to optimize and master working from home for the best results.