Many companies across sectors have asked their employees to work remotely ever since the COVID-19 pandemic stormed the world, slowly changing the conventional way of working from 9 AM to 5 AM from an office.
The work-from-home model has grown in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, and with that, employees are finding it delightful to work in their comfort zone. Undoubtedly, remote work does provide employees leverage over various important household chores but at the same time, it also helps them to boost their productivity.
According to a study by Airtasker, remote workers seem happier and productive in comparison with those working from the office. The study included a survey of 1,004 full-time employees across America, out of which 505 worked remotely. It found that long travel to the workplace made 1 in 4 respondents quit a job eventually. However, for remote employees, the travel may only last as long as it takes to get to the nearest laptop. And this had a serious blow on both employees’ pockets and free time.
Initially, the corporations could have been hesitant and somewhat unsure about how remote work will pan out considering the team discussions, coordinations, boardroom meetings, presentations, and casual office breaks. However, it seems employees’ productivity has been upscaled in the remote work model which has led many organizations to adopt a work-from-home policy or being lenient towards remote work. For example, big IT giants such as Microsoft have allowed their employees to work from home permanently. Similarly, Google has come up with a more flexible remote work policy for its employees some months back.
Considering these cases, remote work seems to be growing, thus increasing the employees’ productivity which eventually helps organizations to become more successful. There are various advantages that employees get when working from home, and these advantages play a pivotal role in increasing productivity.
Here are some factors that help in boosting employees’ productivity while working remotely
Flexible work schedule. Remote work provides employees sample time to manage their other household works such as cooking, eating properly, or even attending to something urgent. This way, they can multitask without getting tired or planning to finish this at a decided time. This comforts their mind, as all their pending work is sorted.
Design your work environment. While working from home, employees can comfortably choose the kind of chair and table they want to place before their laptop. Some people work in bed and some play light music, especially those in the creative industry. They don’t have to worry about any strict decorum. This eases their formal working environment and they can choose to rather design their workstation to their liking.
Casual clothes. This is the biggest advantage that they get while working remotely. They don’t need to bother to zip themselves up in formal attire, which sometimes makes them uncomfortable, especially in summers. In Singapore, for example, there has been talk about how shorts and slippers may still be considered appropriate attire given the climate in the city-state, which consists of humid weather and torrential rains. This also helps support sustainability efforts by reducing reliance on air conditioning systems. The work-from-home set-up provides workers an option to wear casual outfits such as shorts, T-shirts, pajamas, etc. This helps them relax to a large extent and somewhat increases productivity.
Easy to make calls. While working remotely, employees don’t need to bother about finding an empty room, or a less noisy place for making an urgent client call, or attending boardroom meetings. The homely ambiance and cozy environment at home takes the stress away when it comes to organizing Zoom conferences or attending to important calls.
No office distraction. This is another advantage that employees get while working remotely. They don’t have any major distractions which could disturb them, or impact their concentration. Usually, employees face lots of distractions when working at the office and that results in delayed work, or which even leads to arguments with coworkers. However, working at a cozy room inside the house without any noise or distraction can enhance employees’ productivity.
No commutate. Not only does this save time and energy, but it also enables employees to accomplish work more efficiently. Generally, employees spend several hours daily commuting to the office, and for some who stay in faraway areas, traveling to the office is an uphill task. Eliminating the commute certainly enables employees more energy for accomplishing their work rather than wasting time and effort in driving or using public transportation. In addition, the cost savings on fuel or fare can add up.
Helps save money. When you are working from home, you are not bothered about your lunch or evening snacks. In general, employees spend a good amount on meals daily, and sometimes, it takes a toll on finances. Likewise, evening snacks are usually money-consuming, and you tend to order quick bites very often. So, remote working helps you save money as you will get everything at home which is far healthier than restaurant food.
More family time. This is the biggest advantage which you get if you are working remotely. Sometimes when you are stressed or feeling work pressure, just talking or being in company with your spouse, kid or parents heals you. Not only that but you also get enough time to attend to someone who is sick in your family. Also, it provides you an opportunity to have daily lunch with your family, which keeps your mental health fit.
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