Although the number of remote workers was already steadily rising beforehand, the global pandemic in 2020 saw a quick and vast shift towards remote working. Businesses were forced to close and professionals had to adapt to working from home for a large amount of 2020 and even 2021.
Then, as life began to return to normal, lots of those professionals were reluctant to give up their new working style.
In fact, as of 2022, one in three (30%) UK professionals still work remotely, and many businesses now offer fully remote or hybrid working styles to accommodate the wants and needs of their workforce.
However, there is still a strong desire to embrace the remote lifestyle, and a survey from Perkbox found that almost two-thirds of UK workers (62%) would even consider moving abroad to work remotely. Many more would be willing to quit their current job to secure a remote position.
And there’s a good reason for this. Well, several good reasons, actually.
But if you’re on the fence about whether remote working is the right choice for you, we can help. Below, we’ve pulled together a list of the key benefits of working remotely. These include:
1. Working from different locations
Firstly, let’s just clarify that remote work doesn’t have to be confined to your home or local cafes, unless you have a huge amount of equipment required for your job, that is.
But if all you need is a laptop, then you can work from pretty much anywhere with a Wi-Fi connection. Those that like to move around and work from wherever they are have been given the name digital nomads, and there are estimated to be 35 million around the globe.
This is arguably the biggest appeal of remote work, particularly amongst millennials, who make up 44% of the digital nomad population. That and all the incredible places you can work remotely!
2. Higher productivity rates
Did you know that remote workers are actually more productive than their in-office counterparts? As much as a staggering 47% more productive, in fact! There could be several reasons for this but removing the commute, lengthy in-person meetings and general office chit-chat seem to be the key drivers behind this boost in productivity.
So if your workload is mounting or you’re sick of having to put in overtime to complete your work, the transition to a remote position could actually be very beneficial in maintaining a loyal customer base.
3. No commute
As we just mentioned above, if you’re working from home, in the cafe on your street or in a hotel room, there is little to no commute. This means professionals can claim back their time in the mornings and evenings, rather than fighting to get on a packed train or sitting in traffic.
Not only does this save time, but if you used to use public transport or your car for work, you can also save yourself money. It’s a win-win, really.
4. Better work-life balance
Some argue that working from home can make it harder to separate your personal and private life. However, cutting out the commute time, gaining your full lunch hour or breaks, and being able to stay home with pets or little ones can actually help to improve your work-life balance.
You just need to set yourself clear boundaries and be sure to turn your computer off at the correct time each day (and don’t dip in and out throughout the evening).
5. Increased flexibility
Often, remote work gives flexibility outside the stringent 9 to 5 that we experience in the office. This can be a lifesaver for professionals with children who need to do the school run or those who care for other members of their family.
Think about it, in the office you need to arrive on time, looking presentable and ready to work. As a remote worker, you can throw on a coat, drop the kids at the gate, pop to the shop on your way home and still be ready to jump straight on your computer when you need to.
Not only this, but many employers are happy to let remote workers start and finish earlier or later, depending on their working style. So if you’re a night owl, no problem! You can catch up on that report after dinner. Or, if you prefer to get going at 06:00 am, you can.
6. You can work in your pyjamas (if you want to)
We’ve briefly touched on your work attire, but when you work from home, you don’t have to worry about dressing up smart or putting on a full face of make-up. That is, assuming you have no important business conference calls that day, of course.
You can work in leggings, tracksuits or even your pyjamas if you want! This can free up some of the stress of deciding what to wear and, again, can give you back some of your time in the morning.
Are there any downsides?
Of course, working remotely is not without its downsides, and it would be remiss to ignore these. So in the interest of balance, we have pulled together a few disadvantages of working remotely too, in case these might sway you in the other direction. Some of the downsides to working remotely include:
- Distractions at home or in your chosen location – for example, your family making noise or having the general public around you
- Working alone – if your role is fully remote it can become lonely
- Boundaries – as we’ve said, it can be all too easy to keep returning to your computer and losing your work-life balance so you need to set yourself clear boundaries
- An increase in calls and meetings – as you no longer see your colleagues face to face every day, you might find more of your time is taken up with calls and video meetings
- Cyber-security concerns – remote working can increase the risk of a security breach, for example, using weak or public Wi-Fi connections
- Inconsistent internet access – if you’re working out and about or possibly even from home, your Wi-Fi might be unstable or inconsistent
Working from home can have a huge number of benefits as we’ve seen, but it’s really about what will work best for you and the type of person you are. So weigh up these pros and cons before accepting your next role and do not hesitate to Ask a lawyer if you have any questions.
Employers who want to offer remote working (on either a permanent or ad-hoc basis) should adopt a clear Working from home policy to set out their procedures for homeworking.
- 6 benefits of working remotely - 13/10/2022
