n March 2020, employees and students everywhere got the news that it was time to work and learn from home due to the Coronavirus Pandemic. More than a year later, most people are still working from home -- and shaking their heads at their past selves for ever thinking that working from home would be a bad thing.
It seems that many people have adapted surprisingly well to working from home, and are hoping that they can keep doing so, at least part-time. A Harvard Business School survey of 1,500 professionals revealed that many people found they actually grew in their professions. In fact, 81% of people who participated in the survey said they would like to continue working remotely or at least have the option of a “hybrid schedule,” working two or three days a week at home, and the rest in the office.
It’s safe to say that these statistics don’t represent the feelings of every professional, but they offer a solid picture of how people feel about working from home at this point -- they love it! And are actually thriving! If you feel this way, too, you can make some great arguments for the WFH life to your boss. Read on for all the reasons you can share with your employer in favor of working from home.
Work-Life Balance
Working from home offers everyone a better work-life balance. It’s a common question when you’re on the hunt for a job: What is this company’s work-life balance like? While you can find places where there’s a good balance, working remotely can give you a great balance.
You can have a much more flexible schedule when working from home. If you need to take a break in your day to run to the store, pick up kids from school, or even just do a quick workout and take a mental break, you can. It’s much easier to handle things in your personal life when you don’t have to worry about missing work or running out of the office at the last minute -- you can make your own schedule, and start earlier or put in a few extra hours past 5:00 if you need to.
Not only does a better work-life balance help you accomplish more around the house throughout the day, but your house doesn’t even have to be near where you work. WFH means location independence. Working remotely offers the opportunity to move to that city you’ve always wanted to live in, while still having a successful career doing something you love.
It IS possible to actually live your life to the fullest and work full-time -- working from home is the key!
Increased Productivity & Performance
Many people working from home during the pandemic have emphasized how much more productive they’ve become thanks to fewer distractions and a quieter work environment. And we really can’t imagine a world in which anyone’s boss would think that being more productive is a bad thing!
The environment of an office itself can also affect productivity. There might be certain in-office politics that are difficult for employees to navigate, which can affect how productive they are seen by others. Productivity should be measured by the actual outcome and efficiency of the work being done! Thanks to remote work, employees have the opportunity to focus on that work.
Working from home also means that meetings are much more efficient. We’ve all heard of Zoom fatigue and experienced it by this point, which also means we are extremely skilled at communicating our thoughts and ideas virtually, as to not cause each other more of such strife. Efficiency there leads to efficiency in employees’ work, too!
If your company is working remotely right now -- or planning to transition to WFH full-time -- it’s important to keep up the productivity! Although productivity has been proven to increase at home, working remotely all day without a change of scenery can make anyone a little stir crazy. To maximize productivity, you can:
- Establish a consistent morning routine to get you excited for the day. Maybe that includes a workout or making a fancy coffee -- working from home allows you time for these things!
- Put on a nice, comfortable outfit -- it doesn’t have to be business casual, or even close to that, but something that makes you feel confident will help your productivity levels. Comfort is key!
- Make a plan! While you’re largely responsible for your own schedule when working from home, you are probably still a part of a team and there are still things to get done. Write it down or make a to-do list to hold yourself accountable.
- Create a designated work space! Whatever makes you the most productive at home should be included in your WFH office space. You can design it however you want -- that includes plants, decorative (but functional) lamps, and furniture that is unique to you. This will also give you a clear separation from work and home responsibilities.
- Get outside! Go for a walk, or even spend some time working outside. That’s definitely an advantage we don’t often see in the office, and time in nature can be very inspiring and motivating.
Less Money Spent on Office Space & Supplies
This one could be the turning point on working from home if your employer isn’t quite buying it yet. Working remotely means companies don’t need to pay for office space -- or at least not quite as much.
Even if your company only allows you to work from home a few days a week, that means there will likely be less people in the office at any given time. Employers can find a much smaller office space, and put that extra money towards new projects or resources that the company really needs.
Companies can also save money on supplies, as many people will have their own at home. Many companies have been offering stipends to employees to purchase their own work from home supplies. However, with only one person using and keeping track of their own supplies, it’s an expense that will need to be covered a lot less frequently than when in the office full-time.
Remote Work is the New Normal
Working from home is becoming the new normal. Actually, a survey of hiring managers revealed that 38% of their employees are anticipated to work remotely full-time in the next ten years -- and it’s already been three years since that survey was conducted! When you take into account that remote work didn’t even exist and was not really possible until pretty recently, 38% of employees are significant.
You already know how much money companies can save by going remote, but did you know many companies want to use those leftover funds for team-building activities and corporate retreats? Working from the comfort of home and group excursions sounds pretty good to us, and we think employers everywhere would agree!
Remote work also allows for companies to expand the hiring search. If there’s someone who meets every qualification, but lives somewhere else in the world, relocation no longer becomes an issue. This also means employees (and employers!) can travel as much as desired, and still work just as much and be just as successful.
Save Time
A recent internet trend has had many people realizing that certain meetings, conversations, and many other interactions could have been emails. In that same vein, we now know that many meetings, conversations, and other interactions could be Zoom calls instead!
Seriously though, working from home has made most everyone and everything more efficient. From online faxing to emailing, we’ve learned how much we can actually accomplish using the internet, and that we can still connect with people through it -- it’s safe to say we underestimated the power of the web!
Not only does the internet make everything instant and efficient, but working from it full-time saves employees a lot of time. Having a flexible schedule and designing your own hours means you can work at your own pace and get things done more efficiently. This could even lead to working longer days or even just a few extra hours here and there, because you can do it on your terms!
And of course, we can’t forget the lack of commute. For many people, cutting out the commute can mean significantly more time in the day -- hours more, even! All of this extra time is extra great for productivity and accomplishing tasks in a timely manner.
Are you convinced yet? Or, more importantly, is your boss convinced yet? We’d like to think yes -- as you can see, everyone benefits from the possibilities of remote work. After all, it might be the future of the workplace!
