“Working from home allows you better control over managing your energy,” says Rachel Wallins, founder of Accelerate Talent Management and a productivity and leadership expert. Still, the reality of a 30-second commute from bedroom to home office (or dining room table) is more complex than the fantasy. There are significant advantages to working from home for many, but there are disadvantages and challenges too. Let’s look at the pros and cons of WFH so you can determine where you’ll flourish the most. The new world of work is full of opportunities, especially for those willing to embrace change and seize the advantages that remote work offers. So, if you’re looking for a career that offers flexibility, autonomy, and the opportunity to work from anywhere, these are the industries to keep an eye on.

This can help them feel more relaxed and focused while working, leading to better performance. Remote employees also have flexible schedules, meaning they can work during their most productive periods. This can result in higher quality work and faster completion times. These remote-friendly organizations no longer have to make do with local talents that don’t fit their provisions. For instance, if a company has a limited budget for a particular role, candidates in their location with a high cost of living might not be the best choice.

Working remotely saves companies money

Without being constrained by location, I can make ambitious choices. At an office, you can add some pizzazz to your cubicle with plants and family pictures and knick knacks—to a point. But in a home office, you can make the space truly your own and ensure it sparks joy for your workday. Choose your favorite music and set the volume to “nightclub” if that helps motivate you. Work in your favorite oversized chair with your legs over the arm.

Smaller offices

Before Trello was acquired by Atlassian in 2017, Trello’s workforce was roughly 80 percent remote, working from homes across the country. Pryor noted that allowing remote work made recruiting much easier. When you list a job opening in New York, he said, most of the people applying already live in the city. Not so with remote positions, which can attract hordes of talented people living outside major tech hubs.

Remote work means employees can work from anywhere – not just their home. If asynchronous work is appropriate, organizations can even extend operations beyond a typical 9 to 5 workday. Flexible working hours can be a godsend to employees who are night owls, or to those who have small children. This freedom is invaluable for companies looking to stretch their working hours with a limited staff. It is also an attractive benefit that enables employers to draw from a deeper candidate pool in the hiring process.

Many people with disabilities, such as chronic back pain or mental illness, can also benefit from WFH gear and settings personalized to meet their needs. An employee with chronic joint pain, for example, may feel more comfortable in their ergonomic home desk chair. A worker with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), can position their desk near a window to get more sunlight. Someone who moves or fidgets often through the day can do so without worrying about distracting others. Day-to-day comfort is personal, but working from home gives you choices beyond business or business-casual looks—especially on days that are light on virtual meetings. Plus, even when things go perfectly, even a relatively short commute of 20 minutes will take 40 minutes out of your day—that’s more than three hours a week.

For Employees

A longer commute can also reduce job satisfaction and worsen your mental health. A final advantage to take into account when considering remote work is that you’ll likely experience fewer distractions. In a traditional office setting, it’s easy to get sidetracked by colleagues dropping by your desk, impromptu meetings, or general office chatter. After the remote work policy was adopted, the Group saw a significant, company-wide drop in sickness days related, among other things, to increased job benefits of working remotely satisfaction. The increased satisfaction that remote work can bring employees is another positive effect. This is because the ability to work from home often provides employees with a better work-life balance, which can lead to increased job satisfaction and motivation.

New work: Why remote is here to stay

Hybrid work, allowing flexibility with both in-person and virtual work, has become increasingly popular and changed the expectations of employees. With the ability to work from anywhere, employees can access a broader range of job opportunities and connect with professionals from different locations and backgrounds. This can increase knowledge sharing, skill development, and career growth. From saving money to time, there are many benefits that come from working remotely.

Once a company’s employees are spread far and wide, leadership will want to keep tabs on them to some extent. In a remote work world, this means managers can no longer walk across the office to check in on their employees. Instead, they need to schedule virtual meetings to discuss routine project management tasks. While digital meetings can be less disruptive than in-person meetings, they are rarely the highlight of the workday.

Workers may only exchange pleasantries, but it is in-person social interaction. Then they needed VPNs and other cybersecurity tools to secure these systems. In the end, this technology investment helped organizations join the modern business world and put them on more equal footing. Companies also have plenty to gain from embracing a work-from-home policy. Cutting down costs on office spaces and reducing employee turnover rates are a couple of the benefits of working from home that make this transition a worthwhile process for businesses. Also, remote work can help companies reduce their carbon footprint by decreasing the need for office space and energy consumption.

1. Global lockdowns forced all but essential workers to adopt remote work almost overnight.
2. If you live in a big city, you know that commuting can be a huge time-suck.
3. Also, remote work can help employees achieve a better work-life balance, which is a significant factor in employee retention.
4. In turn, workers will be less tempted to look elsewhere for employment, promoting a sense of loyalty and dedication.

But with access to more options regardless of location, they can take their time to find one that meets these requirements. Known as the ability to work from anywhere, anytime, remote work was a full-on global work movement even before the coronavirus pandemic forced many to work from their homes. According to a 2021 survey by Bankrate, 57% of workers said remote work had a positive impact on their finances. For example, I always spent a lot on lattes and lunches when I left the house for work, so I’m saving for sure now that I make my own. I can use my breaks to get dishes out of the way or cut veggies for dinner, which gives me more time to spend with my husband and the kids in the evening. When I’m stressed during work, I sit on the floor and do some belly breathing or throw on some music for a kitchen dance party where the VIPs are just me and my dog, Joy.