Home working increased by over 10% in the UK alone by mid-2020, with at least 36% of people working at home part-time. The pandemic has caused a huge change in how we work, with those able to continue careers from home shifting to remote working. Employers and employees alike have reaped the rewards of remote working even during lockdown. Here’s our top 10 benefits of remote working post COVID-19.
Save Money On Your Commute
In 2021, statistics showed that there were over six-million accidental savers as a result of COVID-19. Why? Lower travel costs have been cited as one of the most common reasons, with less meals out featuring a close second.
More Time For Yourself
Gone are the days when finishing up your work day ended up with a long journey home. Now, once you’ve finished working, you can walk from your desk space to your kitchen or lounge in record time. Working from home has given us far more time for ourselves.
You Work Smarter
Research shows that people home working in 2020 reported they were 60% more productive during the pandemic. Even employers noticed that over a third of staff were more motivated during lockdown. Removing the distraction of working in an office has ensured that people are finding it easier to focus on key tasks and activities.
Your Office Suits You
There’s nothing more irritating than setting in a cramped desk inches away from someone else. The pandemic has given us the flexibility to work how we want. Your home office might be surrounded by art, pot plants, or your favourite books.
It’s Eco-Friendly
Within mere days of the first lockdown, emissions in major cities like London and Bristol were down by 10-20%. The pandemic has proved that remote working has huge benefits for the environment. This will only increase in the long-term if more offices switch to remote working.
Reduce The Work Gossip
You can’t avoid office politics when you all sit within 10 metres of each other. Removing the opportunity for an hour coffee break helps to cut out the office gossip – so you can actually get along with each other.
Create Your Own Schedule
While most offices still require you to work core hours, home working during lockdown has seen companies be far more flexible for their staff. The top request for employees post-pandemic is to retain the flexibility that has allowed people to better manage work-life balance, childcare and home lives.
You Can Work Out What You Want
Virtual working has forced people to consider what they really want out of their career. Do I really want to continue working for a big company? Remote working during the pandemic has given many people the time, and the tools, to consider working for themselves in future.
Work Wherever You Want
While the pandemic has kept us all in lockdown, home working in future will allow you to work where you want. When coffee shops and holiday destinations open, there’s nothing stopping a remote worker from setting up their laptop anywhere with a WiFi connection.
Better Work-Life Balance
Having more time in our day has gifted us with the opportunity to manage a better work-life balance. Home working gives us the chance to spend more time doing what we love, seeing friends and family, and generally doing things that aren’t related to work.
What’s your favourite thing about remote working? The benefits have been evident for employees and employers alike, so it will be interesting to see what a post-COVID world will provide in terms of home working benefits.