Working from home – the new ‘more normal’
I’ve been a big fan of working from home for many years, starting with every other Friday. Sometimes I would be on the phone for every minute; other times I could concentrate on a paper. Even though I was going into the office for most of the week, I find that when I work from home I’m able to get a lot more accomplished, and those who worked for me, and thought that they could have a quiet day were swiftly disabused of that, such are the joys of telephones, emails and instant messaging.
Whilst writing this article I have thought of the obvious reasons that spring to my mind but I also did some research online, I find that there are a lot of reasons why it’s good for businesses to allow employees to work from home. Here are some of the best reasons I’ve found for letting your employees work from home at least once a week:
1. PRODUCTIVITY
One Stanford study found that employees who work from home are 13 percent more productive compared with their in-office counterparts. One of the most effective ways employees can stay productive is by taking regular breaks throughout the day to decompress for a moment and come back refreshed and ready to focus.
2. WASTE LESS TIME
Cutting out a commute can be both a huge morale booster and a huge time saver that could be utilised in exercise or quality time with family. Employees will also waste less money on gas or public transportation and of course it’s better for the environment.
3. YOU’LL BE HAPPIER
Everyone seems to be talking about work-life balance these days, and there’s no better way to improve the work-life balance of your employees than to let them work from home. Happy staff mean generally mean they are the best versions of themselves and have less time off for sickness or mental health issues and let’s not forget that working from home also stops the spread of COVID-19.
4. IT’S EASIER THAN EVER
You can be connected to the office every minute of every day if you want to, thanks to the internet. The concept of working from home might have seemed outlandish 20 years ago, but this is the 21st century. You can find access to wifi almost anywhere, and tools like GoToMeeting and Zoom make remote communication a breeze.
5. YOUR OFFICE BE ANYWHERE AND I MEAN ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD!
And you’re not tied to your home, either. That doesn’t mean your only other location will be the coffee shop around the corner: You can take care of your job while traveling (passengers only if you’re in the car, please!), enjoying your garden or the great outdoors in general (thanks to long laptop battery life and tethering to your phone), or even listening to your favourite band at a live concert.
All you need is power, a signal, your laptop and a comfortable place to work from.
6. YOU’LL SAVE MONEY
Of course, you’ll see an immediate difference in your bank account when you don’t need to bear the costs of commuting. But you’ll also find savings in other areas. You won’t have to force yourself into a suit and polished shoes anymore if that’s not your style—no more separate wardrobes for work and for the rest of your life! And you can also save on food costs since you’ll easily be able to whip up your own lunch and coffee if you work from home.
