4 min read How Remote Work Can Make Employees More Productive
Remote work is taking industries by storm, as employers and workers alike realize the benefits of telecommuting. In fact, a recent survey published on Small Business Trends reveals that 55% of employees work remotely full-time, while 28% stated they alternated between remote work and on-site work.
These numbers are only expected to grow as more workers choose employers who offer telecommuting options and as technology continues to provide new ways to work from anywhere in the world. And it's no longer just for virtual assistants or coding jobs, either. The boom of remote work has boosted the job market, making a myriad of jobs possible for all kinds of employees and freelancers. Solutions platform Yoss points out that working with freelancers from the top 1% of tech talent is now possible, as more and more highly skilled specialists are choosing remote working options because of the comfort and convenience. Even lucrative finance and banking jobs are now available for qualified workers who prefer telecommuting.
Aside from greater access to talent, businesses can benefit from shifting to telecommuting because they can cut expenses when it comes to rent and the other costs that come with maintaining large office spaces. And more importantly, employers can also expect their workers to have improved mental and physical states because of telecommuting. These remote workers are more motivated, engaged, and can deliver better quality output than they would in an office environment. Here, we list some of the few ways that telecommuting can make employees more productive.
1. Fewer Distractions:
Yes, it’s true — workers are less distracted at home or at a coffee shop. A survey by FlexJobs confirms that 76% of employees are more productive when they’re away from the office. In the same survey, workers cited a distracting atmosphere, interruptions from co-workers, uncomfortable workspaces, office politics, and the stress of commuting as detrimental to their productivity. 30% stated that they would go so far as to take a pay cut of 10-20% in exchange for being able to work outside of the office, and 42% said they would give up company perks for the same reason.
When workers get to choose the environment they work in — whether it’s at home, a co-working space, or a café — they’re also choosing which location suits their needs best. More often than not, they work in serene and quiet places where there is little room for disturbances and where they can do the most work.
2. A Flexible Schedule:
One of the best advantages of remote work is the flexible schedule it allows for employees. Workers can choose to work on their own time, and in between, they can handle things like dropping off their children to school or pay their bills. These tasks would have otherwise been stressful and on their mind at the office. However, it is this flexibility that bothers remote workforce managers, who can’t just rely blindly on trust when it comes to their team’s productivity.
Whether you’re already working with a remote team, or you’re thinking of switching to a similar arrangement with office-based workers, it’s always a good idea to use cutting edge technology that can help give you some peace of mind. With ClockInEasy’s web and mobile apps, it’s easy to track just how productive your employees are when they work remotely. It provides you and your employees real-time employee time tracking, payroll reports and job costing reports, among other necessary metrics.
3. More Engagement:
When there are fewer distractions around, and when remote workers are put in charge of their own schedule, they can become more engaged with their work than office-based employees. Telecommuters are able to put in more hours into real work because they can concentrate better and tend to develop a sense of responsibility that motivates them to accomplish all their tasks. When it’s just them and their work, they get an idea of just how much they truly contribute to the team, giving them more incentive to be engaged workers.
4. Less stress:
Employees who shift to remote work find that they don’t suffer the same stress they used to. Research published on Thrive Global shows that 82% of telecommuters reported lower stress levels. This could be the result of avoiding office distractions, traffic jams, and public transportation. If employees aren’t stressed out, they’re able to work longer hours and can focus better in order to deliver quality output.
5. General Happiness:
It’s no secret that a happy worker does better work. An experiment conducted by researchers at University of Warwick found concrete evidence that productivity increases by up to 20% when individuals are happy. In the study, lead researcher Dr. Daniel Sgroi concluded, “Having scientific support for generating happiness-productivity cycles within the workforce should help managers to justify work-practices aimed at boosting happiness on productivity grounds.”
When given the option of remote work, 80% of employees say they try to stay in that position for as long as possible. The flexibility, convenience, and freedom telecommuting offers make workers happier than their office-dwelling counterparts, which in turn, makes them more productive.
Overall, telecommuting can have positive impacts on any business, as it can attract the most talented workers around who can then be at their most productive state. These employees will be happier, more engaged, more focused, and will develop crucial qualities like self-discipline to help them stay on top of their projects.
Of course, no matter how productive a remote worker can potentially be, good managers are still key to steering teams in the right direction. ClockInEasy details how all managers must train employees to be accountable in the workplace, wherever it may be. Good collaboration is especially essential between telecommuters and their supervisors when preparing to shift to telecommuting, as there is an unavoidable adjustment period that comes with any major change. Effective teamwork between supervisors and remote workers will undoubtedly result in quality work that can boost your business to the top of your field.
