Benefits Of Telecommuting For The Future Of Work

With Nor’Easter currently hitting the east coast, swathes of employees will be working from home today to avoid the roads. However, these days, it’s not just increment weather that leads to workers choosing to telecommute. Forbes Magazine has written a fascinating insight into why telecommuting has become incredibly popular.

A decade ago, working from home may have seemed like a distant dream. Today, it’s the future of work. With millennials the driving force behind this shift in the workforce, remote work was dismissed as another “annoying” millennial trait. As more companies adopt telecommuting practices, the benefits are very clear. No longer is remote work about working on a beach, it’s a complete design in how we approach the way we work. Here are the benefits and reasons why to embrace telecommuting and remote work.

1. Improving productivity

It is estimated that employers in the US lose $1.8 trillion a year in productivity. From distractions like water cooler gossip to excessive commuting, health problems and more. Workers are finding it harder than ever to hit maximum productivity in a traditional office work environment. The solution? Telecommuting.

According to the State of Work Productivity Report, 65% of full-time employees think a remote work schedule would increase productivity. This is backed up by more than two-thirds of managers reporting an increase in overall productivity from their remote employees. Where do telecommuters find this extra boost of productivity?

With none of the distractions from a traditional office setting, telecommuting drives up employee efficiency. It allows workers retain more of their time in the day and adjust to their personal mental and physical well-being needs that optimize productivity. Removing something as simple as a twenty minute commute to work can make all world of difference. If you are ill, telecommuting allows one to recover faster without being forced to be in the office. It also improves the impact on our overall health. As a diabetic, health is the number one priority. If our health is not in good condition, then it is inevitable that our productivity will also decline.

2. Better for your health and the environment

The average person in the U.K. spends 60-80 minutes getting to and from work. With the drive to reduce our carbon footprint, telecommuting is an excellent way for your company to go green and improve your employees general well being.

In a report published by the Royal Society for Public Health in the UK, it found that 55% of people felt more stressed as a result of their commute. Snacking habits also increased and with less free time available, the report also found that workers were leading less active and healthy lifestyles.

In a 2014 study by PGi,  a leading provider of software services, it found that 80% of remote workers reported higher morale, 82% said it helped lower their stress levels, and 69% reported lower absenteeism.

To read more about the benefits of telecommuting, please check out Andrea Loubier‘s fascinating article from Forbes Magazine here.