Monitoring the frequency and duration of how companies benefit when employees work remotely between employees can give insights into how internal communication can be more optimized. Open lines of communication are a vital factor in how well a distributed team can work together in a remote setting.

If corporate leaders throughout the world believe remote work is beneficial to the sustainability of their brand, then they’ll invest in the development of it as a resource. In other words, if there is value in telecommuting for organizations, there is value for the world. “We’re on FaceTime and Zoom every day, but you can’t have the same quick side conversations on a video call,” Bostwick says. In her experience, these impromptu interactions often generated the most creative ideas and problem-solving, and she noticed a loss of productive collaboration when her company first went remote. For example, someone who can’t afford to live in a major city or needs to live in a certain area due to personal responsibilities. With no commute, you contribute fewer greenhouse gasses to the atmosphere. At home, you can have more control over the environmental impact of your office.

Benefits of Remote Work for Employees and Employers

This can lead to employees going the extra mile, when perhaps you need them to work late or produce a stunning presentation. Remote employees also tend to be happier than office workers, making them good advocates for the company. Mental health can also improve with remote working, as there is less stress, and working in your own environment can be relaxing. And happy employees are productive and motivated which leads to better quality work. Commuting every day and being in an office isn’t the healthiest way to spend time.

Let’s look at the pros and cons of WFH so you can determine where you’ll flourish the most. And by hiring employees who can work from home in the communities where they feel the most comfortable and supported, companies choose to support diversity, community, and family. Ditching the commute helps you support your mental and physical health. The time savings can allow you to focus on priorities outside of work, like getting extra sleep in the morning, spending more time with family, getting in a workout, or eating a healthy breakfast. The average one-way commuting time in the U.S. is 27.1 minutes—that’s nearly an hour each day spent getting to and from work, and it really adds up.

Advantages of Remote Working for Employees and Employers

Regardless of whether you’re a night owl or early riser, you know how beneficial a flexible schedule can be for productivity. And productive employees mean greater efficiency and more profit. Employees can be more productive when working from home as it’s in their interest to get the job done effectively and not waste time. Loyalty also means employee retention, as staff won’t look for another job if they’re happy where they are. This is a cost saving for the company as it avoids new hires and it also retains skills. Childcare costs can also reduce with remote working, as parents can spend more time at home (although we don’t advise working with young children around!).

Investing in the right tools and software programs for your teams make it far easier to maintain working arrangements for your employees. Now that we’ve discussed the pros and cons of remote working, let’s look at how you can maintain a thriving remote working environment. A remote working environment enables companies to hire full-time and part-time talent with almost no restrictions geographically. Having employees work remotely has some fantastic time and cost-saving perks for your company. As a proponent of remote work, you portray yourself as a pro-work-life balanced organization.

Work/life balance

Businesses should give employees time to adjust to working in the office again. This can be done by easing them back into regular office work while still working from home part time. Also, ask for employee feedback on easing any anxieties or uncertainties during the transition.

After a period of experimentation, companies will decide what format works best for their cultures and establish clear ground rules for their organizations. Going to the office builds up commuting stress, followed by stress at work working for non-stop eight hours, to say the least. WFH is here to stay and provides new levels of work-life balance and flexibility for more people. But the pros for some people are cons for others, and vice versa. If you imagine your ideal work environment and pursue conditions that come closest—you’ll set yourself up for success no matter where you work. Perhaps it’s occasional in-person meetings with your team, if that’s feasible. Possibly back-to-back meetings or meetings without a clear objective.