Outlining the Benefits of the Remote Workday
The year 2020 brought some major changes to every aspect of our lives. The pandemic forced us all to live our lives from home, which drastically changed the culture of work and the modern day business model. Now, even several years past the start of the pandemic, remote work is still an integral part of how businesses operate. Despite these numbers declining every year since the first lockdown, there are still many industries and sectors that rely on at least a hybrid schedule to properly run. In fact, in 2023, studies showed that 40% of U.S. employees still work remotely at least one day per week.
A main reason why working from home still holds such popularity is because of the benefits that it offers to employees. The most significant benefit is the elimination of a commute, which for some can save time, money, and energy throughout the day. Usual expenses like gas and food are reduced or completely eliminated, and the time spent getting ready and actually commuting can be devoted to other activities. This extra time can then be spent with family friends, or completing other extracurricular hobbies. The workday has also been found to be more enjoyable in a remote setting, as there are often fewer meetings and overall greater flexibility. Whether these teams are working completely from home or spend some days in the office, these benefits cannot be ignored.
When the employees at a company are satisfied, the employers see these benefits as well. Research has shown that maintaining distributed teams both in and outside of the office can help reduce absenteeism and employee sick days by over 50%. Also, it boosts productivity, helping the business to run smoothly. A hybrid schedule can also lower turnover by as much as 50%, and even saves money. In fact, experts have found that this business model can reduce annual cost per employee by $20k to $37k.
The desire to work from home is very much still alive, with the vast majority of people reporting that they want to work from home at all of or at least some of the time. Companies need to ensure that they are equipped with the tools necessary in order to make this a reality. The first focus must be connectivity platforms, ensuring that employees and higher-up executives can stay connected and communicative no matter where they work. Modern businesses have many choices for these platforms, as many rose to popularity during the pandemic. Next, cybersecurity tools must also be up and running, protecting the company and its assets from digital threats. Finally, the most up-to-date technology should be utilized in everyday proceedings, such as scheduling and organization. Artificial intelligence is perfect for this, as it can create optimal schedules and plans to ensure that company performance is always efficient and practical. Having these resources readily available in the corporate toolbelt is key to success when maintaining remote teams. Once these goals are realized, businesses will be better equipped for the demands of our ever changing world.
Source: Unrubble.com
