When the COVID-19 pandemic prompted many organizations around the world to adopt a work-from-home policy in 2019, there was widespread concern about whether employees would be as productive working from home. This was compounded by the necessity to give workers the tools they required to be productive while working from home.
However, as many of these companies discovered a few months later, workers could be just as effective, if not, more so effective doing their jobs at home. Even more remarkable was the realization by many businesses that allowing employees to work from home cut operating costs.
Remote work has been adopted by groups because there are fewer technological impediments in the way of off-site workers delivering in-house levels of production while lowering costs for both employees and employers.
Here are the top reasons why working from home boosts employee productivity while also providing employers with fascinating never-before-seen prospects.
1. Less Distractions, More Focus
Working from home boosts productivity by allowing you to focus more easily. You have to meet everyone in the office (especially in noisy open-plan offices), inquire about their weekend, catch up about last night’s football results…the list goes on and on, and all of these two-minute conversations add up to a lot of wasted time.
There’s also the issue of ‘context switching,’ which software development teams are well-versed in. When someone walks up to your desk and asks if you can help them with something when you’re ‘in the zone,’ you have to stop what you’re doing, change context twice (once to leave the zone and once to get back into it) before you can get back to work. According to some studies, context switching might take up to 80% of your productivity.
When people work from home, they have fewer opportunities to be distracted. Your productivity will skyrocket if you make full use of the technology you have by altering your notification settings to allow you to focus.
2. Greater Work-Life Balance
Most remote jobs also come with flexible hours, allowing employees to begin or end their days whenever they like, as long as their work is completed and produces positive results. When it comes to adhering to the needs of your personal life, having control over your work schedule can be really beneficial.
Dropping kids off at school, running errands, taking an online fitness class in the morning, or working from home for a contractor are all responsibilities that are simpler to juggle when you work from home.
3. Less Commute Stress
In the United States, the average one-way commute time is 27.1 minutes—over that’s an hour each day spent travelling to and from work, and it adds up quickly. Commuters spend around 100 hours travelling and 41 hours trapped in traffic each year, according to the Auto Insurance Centre. Some “extreme” commuters have travel times of 90 minutes or longer each way.
Commuting, on the other hand, is one of the drawbacks of getting to and from work. More than 30 minutes of daily one-way commuting is linked to higher levels of stress and anxiety, and studies show that travelling 10 miles to work each day is linked to health problems such as:
- A higher cholesterol level
- Blood sugar levels that are too high
- Depression risk is higher
By eliminating your commute, you can better support your emotional and physical wellness. The time saved can be used for things other than work, such as obtaining more sleep in the morning, spending more time with family, working out, or having a healthy breakfast.
4. Customized Workplace
A great advantage of remote work is the ability to set up a cosy home office. You can set up your home office and make it anything you want, whether you simply want a better ergonomic chair or you have health conditions that necessitate specialized office equipment.
Working remotely allows most employees to finally receive the perfect workspace and supplies they need to stay healthy, fit, and happy. Simple things like displaying images of your children, spouse, or pets on your desk will help you work more efficiently.
Many companies lack comfortable workspaces, according to studies, and this insufficiency has a long-term impact on employee health. Ergonomic chairs are the best chairs for professionals who have to sit a lot. When it comes to preventing lower back discomfort, he stressed that people must maintain proper posture. The HR solutions can arrange this and provide employees at home with these types of chairs.
5. Enjoy a Healthier and More Comfortable Life
Working from home has a variety of health and comfort benefits. Here’s a basic rundown:
- You can go for a run, join a new sports club, or simply perform yoga right next to your desk using the time you save by not commuting. Only your cat will be perplexed by your actions.
- You’re less likely to become ill since you’re not exposed to other people’s (and their children’s) germs.
- You are free to dress whichever you choose. Spending less money on constantly changing clothing or make-up is also a good idea.
- You have complete control over the temperature, which may be set as high as low as you choose.
- Your lunch selections go beyond what the company canteen offers.
- You get to pick your own coffee…vital (it’s not to overlook the small pleasures in life…)
- You can listen to whatever music you choose while reducing your chance of hearing loss.
Working from home, in essence, protects the work-life balance and gives employees the freedom to choose what is best for them. But be careful! Too much emphasis on how to stay productive while working from home can easily tip the scales in the opposite direction.
Before you know it, you’ve forgotten to get up and walk around, take breaks, eat lunch, and socialize with other people. Similarly, some people require the wearing of a shirt and tie to get their brain to work.
6. Working From Home is a Lot More Efficient Than it Used to be
It is now much easier than ever to have individuals work from home. There are numerous technologies, tools, tips, and tactics available that not only make working from home possible but also assist us in learning how to be productive while doing so.
So the only thing keeping us from trying is ourselves. While you don’t have to go completely remote, it’s now easier than ever to make the step. You can also start by allowing staff to work from home for 1-2 days each week until they learn how to stay focused. Consider this: how well does remote working suit you? And keep analyzing and adapting until you discover the ideal balance for your team.
