Remote work has become a significant trend in recent years, with many companies offering remote work to their employees. This shift has led to numerous benefits for workers, including better work-life balance, reduced commute stress, location independence, improved inclusivity, money savings, and positive environmental impact.
10 Advantages of Working From Home
1. Better Work-Life Balance: Remote jobs often come with flexible schedules that allow employees to start and end their days as they choose, leading to more control over their personal life. This control can be invaluable when it comes to attending to personal needs such as dropping kids off at school, running errands, attending online fitness classes, or being home for a contractor.
2. Less Commute Stress: The average one-way commuting time in the U.S. is 27.1 minutes, which adds up to nearly an hour each day spent getting to and from work. However, wasting time commuting is just one of the downsides of getting to and from work. More than 30 minutes of daily one-way commuting is associated with increased levels of stress and anxiety, and research shows that commuting 10 miles to work each day is associated with health issues like higher cholesterol, elevated blood sugar, and increased risk of depression. Ditching the commute helps support mental and physical health, allowing individuals to focus on priorities outside of work, such as extra sleep, spending more time with family, exercising, or eating a healthy breakfast.
3. Location Independence: Remote work offers access to a broader range of job opportunities that aren’t limited by geographic location, making it especially helpful for job seekers living in rural communities and small towns where there may not be many available local positions. This allows people who have to move frequently, such as military spouses, to have a remote job that can be done from anywhere without having to start over at the bottom of a new company with each move. Additionally, remote work is a great way to avoid high-rent and high-mortgage areas, especially for positions that used to require living in a city with a high cost of living.
4. Improved Inclusivity: Remote work enables companies to embrace diversity and inclusion by hiring people from different socioeconomic, geographic, and cultural backgrounds and with different perspectives. Telecommute jobs give people who may have a hard time finding steady employment at an onsite job the opportunity to follow their career goals without worrying about commuting back and forth to an office.
5. Money Savings: People who work from home half-time can save around $4,000 per year on gas, car maintenance, transportation, parking fees, a professional wardrobe, lunches bought out, and more. These savings add up and put more money back into your pocket. As more companies allow employees to continue working remotely post-pandemic, they will also see significant long-term cost savings.
6. Positive Environmental Impact: Remote work supports various sustainability initiatives, such as economic growth and reduced inequalities, sustainable cities, climate change, and responsible consumption. By reducing commuter travel, employers and employees can reduce their carbon footprint and affect climate change.
7. Customizable Office: Remote work allows employees to create a comfortable home office, whether they want a more ergonomic chair or have health issues that require specialized office equipment.
8. Increased Productivity and Performance: Remote work usually leads to fewer interruptions, less distractions, and better overall productivity and performance. Telecommuting offers numerous benefits for both employees and employers, including increased productivity and performance. Remote work allows employees to focus on performance, reducing distractions and promoting a more efficient work environment. However, the office environment can create “false positives” that can lead to bias and favoritism. A 2020 survey by FlexJobs found that 51% of respondents were more productive working from home during the pandemic, citing fewer interruptions and quiet work environments.
9. A Happier, Healthier Work Life: Working from home also leads to a happier, healthier work life, as it lowers stress, provides more time for hobbies and interests, and improves personal relationships. Co-worker and manager relationships can be more positive without the distractions and politics associated with in-office jobs. Remote work has a high impact on employee retention, with 72% of employers reporting high employee retention.
10. Working from home can also lead to better health, such as more time for physical activity, healthier eating, recovery from illness or surgery, less exposure to illnesses, easier care for health issues or disabilities, and a comfortable and ergonomic workspace. Remote work provides employees with the time and environment to make healthy choices, benefiting both employees and employers.
By: Emily Courtney
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