A few things the office can learn from remote work
Published
When you get right down to it, there are two types of workers. People going to work and people working from home or wherever they feel like it. The second type of worker is the so-called “remote worker”. You don't work in an office or on a construction site, but in a "remote" location.
Whether that person works on the other side of the world, as many freelancers do, or if they work on the other side of town, they are still working. This article aims to answer any questions you may have about this practice, which is becoming increasingly popular.
Was ist Remote Work?
Remote work is a business practice that allows employees to work from almost anywhere rather than in the office. This enables flexible working hours and a better work-life balance for team members.
This type of work is beneficial for both company management and employees. If your job requires you to work at a desk, why would you do that when you can do the exact same thing from your home office or your favorite coffee shop.
What are common misconceptions about remote workers?
After asking some of our freelancer friends about the stereotypes associated with remote work, we listed our three favorites below and then set the record straight.
- You are always “on call”.
- You don't work in a real job
- Remote workers are inefficient communicators
The truth about how many hours you work
It doesn't matter whether you are an employee or an employer; Neither of them wants to work around the clock. As a team member, you have your own life, and your managers need to be mindful of your need for breaks to avoid burnout.
Your manager will advise you at what times you should be available and you must inform them in advance of any changes to your schedule.
Our thoughts on remote worker workloads
As much as we would like our days to be filled with Netflix and lazing around, they aren't. Although we enjoy listening to music while we work, people work similar hours in their home office as they do in the office.
Remote workers are not good communicators
Working from home can save you the small talk, but that doesn't mean you're antisocial, just that you don't have to communicate with the team on a daily basis.
Whether via Microsoft Lync, a phone call or a visit to the office, remote workers can share all information with the rest of the team.
3 reasons why remote work is great for employees
1- Newfound passion
The ability to work outside the office allows employees to go to different places to get inspiration and clear their minds while working on a project. In addition, the fresh air works wonders for the body. If you're reading a report, why do it at your desk when you can be comfortable with a hammock and headphones.
2 - Healthier team members
A study conducted by Premiere Global Services compared people who work from home with people who work outside the home. The company found that 80% of people who worked from home were happier than their colleagues, and 82% also reported lower levels of stress.
According to another study published by the Royal Society for Public Health in the United Kingdom, the average person in the United Kingdom spends between 60 and 80 minutes commuting from work. More than 50% of respondents also said they were stressed about their commute.
Stress was mentioned in both surveys because stressed workers are more likely to quit due to burnout. Aside from mental health, working from home offers the opportunity to make breakfast at home, get more sleep, and avoid traffic.
3- Flexible working hours
This is one of the biggest advantages of this type of work. If you are a parent of young children, you may have to neglect work to stay with the children when they are sick.
"Instead of using one of your sick days to care for the child, you can stay home, do your work and care for your child. It's a win-win for everyone involved." - Marie Fincher, editor at Trust My Paper and Grab My Essay.
Assuming your child is older, there are things like doctor's appointments and various school events that you will want or need to attend. Another reason could be that you want to go back to school to take some career development courses or get a degree.
Working from home gives you control over your schedule, so you can get everything done without having to change your life.
2 reasons why remote work is great for employers
1 - More productive team members
This goes hand-in-hand with the concept of flexibility discussed previously, but people who work from home realize that this is a great professional benefit and they will want to work smarter and more efficiently to make the most of their free time at home.
2 - It is cost effective
This is smart because if you let your employees work from home, you can rent a smaller office space and have lower utility costs. With smaller office spaces, you don't have to employ as many assistants in the office, e.g. E.g. maintenance staff, landscape gardeners and cleaners.
"Aside from overhead costs, you can also save on the cost of office supplies and office furniture as employees work from home. However, it is worth noting that companies should invest some of the saved overhead costs in the technology provided to the team - Diana Adjadj, freelance writer at Studicus and Writing Judge.
In addition to technology, they should also invest in faster internet speeds and better conference rooms. Even though we would all like to work from home, we need to go to the office at least once a week because it is always good to communicate with different team members in person and not just on the computer screen.
Final Thoughts
This type of job is becoming increasingly popular in tech-heavy fields, and we can understand why. Whether you work outside of the office most days or are in the office, this is a great trend to embrace.
Even if you work in an office, it can't hurt to ask your manager if you can work from home on a trial basis. You can show him some of the studies mentioned in this article and the worst thing he can do is say no.
