With the spread of COVID-19 and the implementation of lockdown in countries worldwide, workers were forced to work from home. However, many people have gotten used to it and are now thinking of shifting from a traditional office setting to remote working.
Since COVID-19, meetings via video calls have increased by 50% and after COVID-19, approximately 80% of full-time employees are expected to shift to remote working thrice per week and 70% are expected to shift to remote working at least once per week. This reveals that employers are more productive working from home since it gives them the flexibility to complete their tasks through remote working.
One of the other benefits of remote working is the benefit it provides on their overall savings. According to a survey, employers are saving approximately $6000 per year while working from home during COVID-19. Employees working from home can save this amount due to the lower cost of parking, food costs, parking costs, car maintenance, and fuel costs.
Employers can save more than $11,000 per year for each employee through remote working, according to Global Workplace Analytics. These savings can be accumulated through reduced absenteeism, increased productivity, lower office costs, and fewer turnovers.
Remote working has also had a positive impact on the environment. Road transport has contributed significantly to air pollution since they emit pollutants that may be harmful to human health such as particulate matter and nitrogen oxides. EPA statistics reveal that light-duty vehicles contribute towards 23% of greenhouse gas emissions whereas medium-to-heavy duty trucks contribute towards 23% of greenhouse gas emissions. The transportation infrastructure of countries worldwide is impacted less with fewer people driving on the roads.
Remote working has proven to be a tool of productivity for employers globally. According to a survey conducted by the Becker Friedman Institute for Economics at the University of Chicago on 10,000 employees revealed that they were as productive working from home as they were working from a traditional office setting. 30% of the surveyed employees revealed they were more engaged and productive working remotely from home.
Employers who have adopted the lifestyle of remote working are more productive and engaged in the work they do because they have fewer distractions around them and they could easily work on their own timings of the day. They also have more time to exercise and spend some quality time with their family members, friends, and loved ones. In short, employers who work from home have a better work-life balance and a higher quality of life.
A survey by Owl Labs revealed that remote working employers are more satisfied with their jobs, are happier, and are likelier to stay employed longer in their area of work. The survey also found that employers who were working remotely from home were 22% happier than the employers working in a traditional office setting. Employers working from home worked 43% more than the employers who worked in a traditional office setting as they were more focused on their work and had a stress-free lifestyle. One of the schemes that companies could incorporate is hybrid working, where employers work from home part of the week and on the rest of the days in a week, they work in the office.
There is no denying the fact that working from home is increasing every day and could end up being a norm for companies worldwide. In the past few years, we have seen a rapid evolution in the world of internet availability and information technology. The devices that did not exist 10 years ago are being used every day now. More and more people are taking advantage of these technological availabilities and making life easier for themselves and their loved ones. One of the most substantial benefits of these technological developments and internet availabilities is remote working, which is only expected to be implemented by corporations in the upcoming years.