If your commute is longer, it’s easy to see how the lost time can add up. We all need a break, so take that extra time to call a friend, play with your pet, hang with your family, or go out to your favorite spot for dinner. My mom has also reached the age where she needs help managing day-to-day activities.
Remote work provides wider opportunities for diversity and inclusion.
If it’s not available, they’ll keep looking for a better work experience. And while that should be reason enough to support it, it’s also good for your bottom line. She’s decorated her home office with custom lighting, she reported, and she has an entire wall covered in Post-Its.
This flexibility enables employees to balance their work and personal lives more effectively. With fewer employees commuting to work, there is a reduction in carbon emissions and traffic congestion. This can lead to a cleaner and healthier environment, which benefits everyone. Also, remote work can help employees achieve a better work-life balance, which is a significant factor in employee retention.
- Plus, even when things go perfectly, even a relatively short commute of 20 minutes will take 40 minutes out of your day—that’s more than three hours a week.
- These tools act as a virtual office, enabling a scattered workforce to collaborate on projects, share screens and communicate face-to-face.
- Besides, companies with diverse leadership teams are 70% more likely to capture new markets, according to the Harvard Business Review.
- This gives them a better chance of finding the best possible candidates for the job, thus improving the workforce quality.
By reducing friction for your employees, WFH can benefit the overall organization. With remote work, you can hire the top talent your company needs and deserves. You’re no longer restricted to the choice between hiring in a single location or paying exorbitant relocation costs. No one’s internet connection is completely stable at every possible second. Electricity and internet outages aside, connections can vary in speed and reliability over the course of a day. When working from home, many of the factors that cause tardiness are reduced or removed.
Based on the same report, commuters spend an average of $867 on fuel and benefits of working remotely $410 on vehicle maintenance yearly. They can also take breaks to recharge or attend to personal matters without worrying about disturbing colleagues or being judged. Moreover, McKinsey & Company found that 66% of all respondents and 75% of millennials consider sustainability before purchasing. Today’s customers align themselves with brands that share their values and priorities. One significant lesson from the pandemic is that we must care for the planet.
Improved Employee Morale And Engagement
Recently, there has been an increasing focus on corporate social responsibility. And rightly so, as businesses have a responsibility to act in a way that is ethical and sustainable. Organizations might want to adopt a remote work policy for many good reasons, including economic, social, and environmental ones.
As mentioned, remote professionals are more satisfied and engaged with their teams. Regardless of product, mission, or business goals, it’s the people who drive business success. Who, other than your employees, will shape the products of the future, drive the efficiency of your teams, and see through the growth and health of your business plan? Because of that, the ability to attract and retain top talent is a key differentiator in today’s competitive business world.
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I’m grateful for the time with her and for my siblings who share in the challenges and joys of caring for an elderly parent, but the stress of being in the sandwich generation is intense. I can take a half day (rather than use a full day of PTO) to take her to a doctor’s appointment. Going into an office every day would have made this phase of life overwhelming—if not impossible to sustain. Some remote jobs may also come with flexible hours, which allow you even more control over when you get your work done in addition to where. This depends on your job and employer, but for me, WFH means I can take an hour or two away from my computer to go to the dentist or pop to the store during business hours. When my kids were younger, WFH meant I could make school events without much scheduling fuss, or easily pick up a sick kid from school with just a quick message to my boss.
Many of these may be manageable with some mindset and habit shifts, but be honest with yourself about where you work best—so you make the call that’s right for you. For me, greater comfort means shifting back and forth between my desk and a portable standing desk, as well as working on the comfy couch in the living room with my dog in my lap. If these advantages spark excitement or “I could get used to that” thoughts, WFH may be a good fit for you. But keep your circumstances in mind—remote work isn’t ideal for everyone.