In today’s technology-based society, working from home outside of a physical office is now a convenient option for the American workforce. In fact, the ability to work from home outside of a company’s primary location is now a key factor for many job seekers.
We interviewed real managers and employees who work in remote environments and compiled some takeaways below. Read on to see how working from home can benefit everyone!
Productivity Increases
One of the most intriguing benefits of working from home is how much it increases productivity at work. It’s a common misconception that working from home does the opposite; according to this study from Stanford, employees increased their performance by 13% just by working from home. When productivity increases, businesses thrive and everyone wins.
Phil Strazzulla, who works at Select Software Reviews, explained how his productivity increased after working remotely for the past nine months: “…my productivity has skyrocketed due to a decrease in meetings, Facetime and random chit-chat that can turn into much longer conversations.”
Limiting office distractions can help employees focus more on their job and less on their coworkers. James Canzanella from Isolated Marketing Nights remarked, “Overall, my productivity is through the roof given the fact that I’m in control of every task that I need to accomplish.”
Instead of bouncing tasks between different people in the office, employees can focus on their job alone. As a result, productivity increases!
Having a more flexible schedule also helps people work more productively. If workers aren’t waiting for the end of the day to roll around, they’ll focus more on their tasks and get more done. Rick Patterson from Poolonomics noted that his team “feel[s] like they have more freedom and control over their time. Because of this, everyone gets to work more efficiently and not feel constrained with the hours that they’re required to work like with a regular office-based job.”
Companies Thrive in Working From Home Environments
It’s no surprise that companies with more productive employees tend to show higher performance. For example, working remotely allows international companies to stay open at all times. William Robers of WeWorked states, “In short, we are able to provide around-the-clock customer service 24 x 7 x 365 and no one complains. Remote working creates the perfect environment for our executive team, employees and our customers. Everybody wins!”
By offering customer support at all times and to all time zones, companies can increase customer satisfaction and loyalty – both tickets to a thriving company.
Employee Retention is Higher Than Ever
When employees are happier at work, they’re less likely to quit. A report from Owl Labs found that remote positions have a 25% lower turnover rate.
When companies offer a remote work environment, employees no longer have to commute and experience a better work/life balance. Kim Hawkins of Events Wholesale reported, “Our employees tend to be happier and stick with us for longer. Working from home eliminates their commute time, so they have more time for other things in life. They can dress casually and comfortably. They save money on gas, car maintenance, parking fees, professional clothing, lunches out, etc.”
Higher retention rates save companies the money and time it takes to hire and train new employees. Sean Pour from SellMax also noticed a higher retention rate in work-from-home environments: “Employees stay with us for the long-term. We have reduced employee churn tremendously because we are giving the autonomy to live their lives as they please.”
Working from home allows employees to work around their life, not plan their life around work. As a result, they’re able to find more happiness and satisfaction in their life instead of searching for it in a job which is often why people job hop.
Employees Take Fewer Days Off When Working From Home
When employees have the freedom of where and when they can get work done, they no longer have to take an entire day off to visit the doctor or go to their child’s school performance. Instead, they can plan their work schedule around their life; as a result, they take fewer days off.
Naresh Vissa from Krish Media & Marketing takes advantage of her flexible work-from-home schedule. She says, “The flexible schedule has allowed me to travel the country for pleasure and business without having to worry about vacation days or a supervisor looking over my shoulder. The time at home has allowed me to focus more on improving myself and, in turn, my businesses.”
Employees who aren’t taking a lot of time off are getting more work done; what’s more, when they do take time off, they’re likely taking a real break instead of running errands or taking care of responsibilities. Using time off for a vacation or a break from work gives employees the brain reset they need to return to work feeling more productive and inspired than ever.
Communication is Easy When Working From Home
One of the primary reasons companies hesitate to implement a work-from-home environment is the lack of communication. They often don’t realize that maintaining contact with colleagues is easy if the right tools and software are utilized.
Sue Andrews from Kids Bridging Loans chimed in on this concern and stated, “Of course isolation can be a concern, so it’s been important to organize ways for the team to connect, via virtual meetings as well as actual meetups on a fairly regular basis.” With the right organization, chat software and protocols in place, communication when working from home can be just as effective as communication in the office.”
Sean Pour of Sellmax actually reported an improvement in communication: “It sounds counter-intuitive but our team communication has improved since having the majority of our staff working remotely. We’ve created systems and workflows to communicate that are much more efficient.”
On the other hand, Alex Winston from PPC Protect has run into some issues with communication due to different time zones. “There are lots of issues when managing a remote team,” he notes. “The first and most obvious are the different time zones. This makes planning meetings and getting everybody online at the same time challenging and can often have a knock-on effect on other people’s productivity.”
Anh Trinh from GeekWithLaptop stresses how important it is to “teach your employees to manage their own time and do what they believe is best for the company.” Without proper processes and instructions in place for remote work environments, employees likely won’t stay on top of their tasks.
Something to keep in mind is that if your employees are working from home in different time zones, your company may need to experiment with and implement new protocols for effective communication.
Flexible Work Schedule Improves Quality of Life
Employee happiness is one of the factors that contribute to retention rates and productivity. One of the biggest benefits of working from home is how much it improves an employee’s quality of life.
Liz Brown from Sleeping Lucid explains, “I now get to spend more time with my family and friends without sacrificing my career. Personally, it has improved my physical, mental and emotional health.”
Sue Andrews from Kids Bridging Loans also noticed how much happier employees were after the switch to a remote workplace. “Staff have reported back that they’ve seen improvements in their general wellbeing that come from working in a relaxed environment and that eating at home during the day makes it easier to make healthy food choices.”
Paula Onysko from Paula Onysko Coaching and Consulting also notes how working remotely has benefited her life: “All in all, working from home has been a godsend in supporting my health, work and family life.”
Working from home allows employees to be happier, healthier and enjoy a better work/life balance. Providing employees with this opportunity shows how much a company cares about its employees and their wellbeing.
Wider Pool of Job Candidates to Hire
One of the biggest drawbacks of living in a small city is having a correspondingly small pool of job applicants to choose from. A company that opens their hiring options to remote workers is no longer limited to candidates within a certain radius – instead, they can hire the best talent worldwide.
Daniela Andreevska from Mashvisor noticed an increase in productivity from hiring better candidates. “This structure has actually helped us increase our efficiency and productivity and improve performance. The main reason for this positive impact has been the fact that with remote workers we are not limited to hiring people from the local market only but can hire just about anyone around the globe.”
Jeremey Harrison from Hustle Life noticed the same benefits: “By hiring remote workers, you are not limited to getting people within your area. You can have the very best all over the globe.”
This is good news for employers and employees.
No Office Distractions or Pressure When Working From Home
One reason employees experience more productivity and happiness when working from home is because they don’t have to deal with the pressures or distractions of working in an office. Instead of wasting 20 minutes at the coffee machine chatting with their coworkers, they can focus on their jobs.
Jeremy Harrison from Hustle Life noticed this in his own employees. “The main reason for higher productivity in remote workers is the absence of the traditional office pressure,” he says, “and the distractions that come with it.”
Employees who are working at home don’t have to worry about their boss peering over their shoulders. This can cut down on the excessive stress that often accompanies an effort to complete projects. When working from home they can complete their projects without getting interrupted from a spontaneous meeting.
Employees Can Work in Their Most Ideal Environment
The last benefit of working from home is that employees can work in their most ideal environment. If a creative employee struggles to find inspiration while in their cubicle, working from home can give them the option to pick up their laptop and work anywhere or anytime that inspires them.
Adrian Try from Software How enjoys the freedom to move to a new area when necessary: “I find it helpful to work from somewhere else from time to time. I grab my laptop and head to a coffee shop, a park or even just the outdoor area of my house. Doing that once or twice a week can add the needed variety back to my work life and leaves me feeling fresh.”
Whether you’re an employee who wants to work from home or an employer toying with the idea of transitioning to a remote environment for your team, the benefits speak for themselves.
It doesn’t hurt to give the telecommuting life a try to see if it’s right for you. One way to give working from home a try is by taking paid surveys at home with us at Branded Surveys. You can test what working from home is like all while earning rewards like cash or free gift cards rewards. Sign up today to get started!
