Since the pandemic, remote work has gained popularity. Circumstances forced many of us to leave traditional office jobs, but they also showed many benefits of working from home. While many companies have rolled back their return-to-office policy, many have found that these policies didn’t improve productivity as they thought. And others still have remote working options—and many employees and companies have benefitted from it.
Like most things in life, remote work isn’t for everyone. However, many people (myself included) have found working from home a great arrangement. Check out these five benefits of the work-from-home arrangement.
1. You have no commute.
A traditional 9-5 office involved you getting up early to drive to work. If you live near your workplace, it won’t take as long, but many people don’t. With remote work, you don’t have to worry about getting in late to work very often—just pull up your computer in your designated work-from-home space! As a bonus, you put less emissions in the air, providing environmental benefits.
2. You don’t have typical workplace interruptions.
Many people have roommates, but you’d rarely live with as many people as you work with. So, you have less small talk and interruptions from others when you work remotely. Additionally, you save time during meetings since you don’t have to get up and go from one side of the building to the next–just open Zoom on your laptop! Getting settled at your desk also takes less time since you don’t have to park somewhere, put your stuff on your desk, and the like. Without these typical workplace interruptions, you can get your work done faster.
3. You can save money.
With less wear and tear on your car, you don’t spend as much money on gas when working from home. The same applies to paying for public transportation to get to your workplace. You also don’t have to buy lunch if you don’t remember to bring it, either (and cooking is often healthier!). This makes it easier for you to save money, especially as living gets more expensive.
4. You don’t have to “people” as much.
For introverts like me, socializing all day is exhausting. We like people but use our energy interacting with them, so we need to recharge in solitude. Remote work allows us to save energy so that when we do go out, we have more to spend. We also can get work done more efficiently with fewer people around, which is a win-win situation for everyone.
5. You expand your job opportunities.
Not everyone lives in a large city with bustling work opportunities, and not everyone can afford to move there. When you work from home, you greatly expand your options on where you can work. This also saves you money on moving costs, making it ideal for many people.
6. You have more flexibility.
I’ve found this to be the greatest benefit of remote work. At home, I can take the time to do other work-related things, like household chores, so I can truly use the weekend to rest and recharge. I can also schedule doctor appointments, run grocery errands, and attend to other personal items I need to take care of. This has greatly helped me maintain a better work-life balance, and it’s one of the reasons many people love working from home.
While remote work doesn’t suit everyone, neither does in-person work. Both have their benefits and drawbacks; there’s no one-fits-all situation. And some people prefer a hybrid work schedule to reap the benefits of both. It’s all about what works best for you. However, many people have preconceived notions about remote work, thinking it makes employees less productive, negatively affects company culture, and is inferior to in-person work. I hope anyone reading this gets a different view of remote work and sees why many people prefer it.
At the end of the day, where you work best will make you the best employee, getting things done efficiently and feeling accomplished. And isn’t that what all companies and employees should strive for?
