It’s no secret that remote work is on the rise, and it’s a trend that shows no sign of reversing any time soon.By remote work, of course, we’re referring to anyone whose job doesn’t require them to come in to the office every day. It includes those who “work from home”, use co-working spaces, or even set up camp in Starbucks or the library on a daily basis. Even among those of us who don’t work remotely 100% of the time, more and more employees have the flexibility of working remotely at least some amount of time every week.
This is not just another fashionable trend, and it’s really not surprising that more and more businesses are allowing employees to work remotely. Let’s look at some of the reasons why.
Modern technology makes it easy.
A couple of decades ago, working remotely wasn’t even really on the table for discussion. For the most part, if you worked from home, you’d be leaving important files and documents behind at the office, and besides, there was a lot that really could only be done back at the main office. Current generation technology has all but rendered those concerns as obsolete. The ubiquity of cloud storage and broadband internet connections makes it a breeze to work from almost any location, since mission-critical information can be accessed from anywhere. At this point in time, there’s nothing stopping us from working productively, well, basically from any location.
Flexibility
One of the buzzwords in today’s workforce is “work-life balance”, and that tends to imply a less rigid work regime. It’s not that we’re looking to work less. It’s more that we want to work sensibly, without losing sight of our families. Being able to spend even a day or two working from home when needed, in order to care for one’s children is a big part of this. Rather than structure one’s family life around the job schedule, today’s workforce prefers to do just the opposite - developing a work routine and schedule that fits one’s personal and family needs.
Increased Productivity
If you’re thinking that this all sounds great, but that there must be a decrease in productivity, you’re in for a surprise. Workers who can do their job remotely are predictably happier. As you might expect, a happier staff translates to an increase in productivity, and also tends to lead to another benefit: less turnover. Why leave your job when your employer lets you work on your own terms, from the comfort of your own home?
Reduced Costs
Obviously, as a company allows more of its employees to work remotely, a number of costs will be reduced. Less furniture and equipment is required, and as the remote workforce grows, the company won’t even need as large of a space. Remote employees share in the savings as well, by eliminating the cost of commuting.
