Many companies now allow telecommuting as a business strategy. Telecommuting is an arrangement in which employees work from home instead of travelling to an office building. It can be done through phones, internet connection and chat, which makes it flexible and convenient. Some people work in coffee shops or libraries, but the majority of people who telecommute do their jobs in their own living space.
You might think that telecommuting can be difficult to adjust to. However, Pennsylvania State University has conducted research that shows the benefits of working from home. It can significantly reduce business expenses and improve employee satisfaction. Here are some of the advantages of switching to telecommuting.
1. Less time and money wasted
If you work at an office, you need to wake up early to prepare yourself. You have to eat breakfast, take a shower, and dress up before you walk out the door. After that, you have to consider the amount of time it takes you to commute, and you have to factor in the traffic you might encounter. After a long day at work, you have to do the same thing again, keeping in mind that you still have to cook dinner for you and your family.
Employees who work from home do not need to do all these things. They are able to control their work environment more efficiently. They don’t have to experience the headaches involved with travelling, which means they can focus more on work-related activities.
Setting up your own office at home also means saving more money. You do not have to think of your budget for gas or expensive meals. You can visit the store and prepare a healthy lunch for yourself. You can avoid payday loans with these jobs since saving money can be hard to accomplish if you have to go to the office. You’ll have to spend a lot on transportation and ready-to-eat meals.
Lastly, eliminating travel time from your itinerary means more time for yourself or your family. As soon as you clock out, you can enjoy time with your kids, or savour a cup of tea alone. You can also use the time to cross out some errands off your to-do list instead of waiting for the weekend to come.
2. Fewer conflicts in family or work matters
When it comes to working from home, you might be worried about the boundaries you have established between your work and your family matters. In reality, home-based jobs lower down the number of conflicts that often occur between the two.
Employees who work from home tend to call out of work less. You don’t have to worry too much about a sick child or any emergencies at home, so you have peace of mind while working. In addition to this, work gets accomplished, usually at the same rate at home.
3. Better working relationships
As long as the management is on board with the idea, and there are excellent communication practices within the team, working from home has no direct effect on workplace relationships.
Employees who stay at home but still manage to maintain regular communication with managers and colleagues via email or phone claim to experience improved working relationships. You don’t even have to think of office distractions like rumours or gossips since everything can be kept professional most of the time.
4. Increased productivity
You might think employees who work from home have issues with their work performance from time to time. However, managers rate employees who are working in the comfort of their own homes as more productive than other employees who report to the office.
These employees are capable of performing well and demonstrating their value to their superiors, and they seem to have more initiative to do so. There are many other ways to boost productivity in the workplace by telecommuting; you need to explore them so you can reap the benefits.
Like previously mentioned, working from home involves less travel time than going to the office. Work-related tasks are finished at a faster rate since the time wasted on daily travel is eliminated. They report to work on time without experiencing the stress of a daily commute, so they start with their tasks with a productive mood.
5. Job satisfaction
Penn State researchers also discovered a link between job satisfaction and working from home. Aside from this, employees who stay at home are less likely to quit statistically. This is because these employees are less stressed and happier, and we all know that happy employees are valuable ones. We can never be definite enough on how to measure employee satisfaction, but employers who care a lot about their employees will always go the extra mile to keep them happy at work.
Choosing to work from home is an excellent business strategy, which can be a great option for some organisations. This is an opportunity to increase employee satisfaction while reducing costs. Indeed, it is a win-win situation for both employer and employee. If you’re interested in telecommuting, it’s time to try and feel the benefits for yourself!