Remote working, it’s something that almost every business seems to be talking about these days.
Over the years, remote working has evolved from a concept reserved almost entirely for freelancers and specialist consultants, to an activity that half of the workforce will be taking part in by the end of 2020.
While we’ve all heard the claims that remote workers are more productive, healthy, and happy than their counterparts, many business leaders are still nervous about fully embracing the benefits that flexible schedules may have to offer. Fortunately, for those on the fence, new studies could help to quash any lingering doubts. These studies not only show how beneficial remote working can be but also how it’s better for your workforce than the standard office environment.
The Death of the Traditional Office Space
According to one recent study, the number of people who struggle to concentrate at their desk is growing. In a world of open-office designs and cluttered workspaces, it’s no wonder that 16% more employees feel that they could get more done at home, where they don’t have to deal with distractions like ringing phones and chattering coworkers.
Ultimately, remote working champions the believe that it’s not “where” your employees work that matter, but how they get their jobs done.
Thanks to new solutions like collaboration apps and desktop project management tools, productivity isn’t limited to an in-office environment. Here are just some of the reasons why remote workers are performing better than their office-based counterparts.
1. They Really are More Productive
Brian de Haaff discussed the potential of the remote worker in an Inc.com article, stating that a lack of office distractions and a higher degree of autonomy allows remote workers to get more done in their roles. The statistics certainly back this idea up. One survey found that 86% of people believe that working alone helps them to be their most productive.
A remote office space eliminates many of the distractions that stop people from getting their jobs done. This means that your people not only complete their tasks faster, but they can potentially deliver a higher quality of work too.
2. Better Collaboration and Teamwork
As mentioned above, collaboration tools are paving the way for a stronger collaborative environment for today’s office workers. Not only do remote workers have access to things like video calling, real-time screen sharing and instant messaging, but they know how to use those systems to their advantage too. After all, you can’t just shout across a room at a coworker when you’re a remote employee; you need to make the most of the technology available to you.
Though many companies worry that the distance between remote employees will create a disconnect in the work environment, the truth is that the opposite may be more likely. Around 92% of remote workers feel that video collaboration enhances their teamwork. When people are focused on constant communication, it’s easier to build that all-important company culture for your team.
3. Fewer Absences
One of the biggest expenses that companies throughout the world face, is paying for sick days and absences in their workforce. Plenty of people have to call in sick to work when they have a doctor’s appointment or can’t make their pre-assigned schedule. However, with a remote working system in place, there are no defined hours holding your employees back. People can arrange their schedule around the other commitments in their day and reduce the amount of time they need to take “off sick.”
What’s more, if your people actually are unwell, remote working means that the spread of illness is eliminated. You don’t have to worry about flu-ridden employees coming to work and infecting the rest of your team.
4. Commitment
Finally, it seems that remote workers are more committed to their roles than the standard office worker. A research study by Canada Life discovered that remote workers consider themselves to be more productive (around 7.7 out of 10) than office workers (6.5 out of 10). Not only that, but they’re more willing to go above and beyond when putting that productivity to use.
More than a third of all the people working from home today say that they frequently work extra hours to make sure that their tasks are completed. Less than a quarter of people in office environments would make the same commitment.
It turns out that there’s more to remote work than simply sitting at home in your PJs.
What do YOU think? Are you an office worker, what is your experience? Let us know.
