A recent Stanford University study has revealed that productivity increased by 13% and turnover fell 50% when companies implemented a remote work policy.
Still, traditional 9 to 5 work schedules remain as the most popular structure. But now, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of people are being forced to work from home.
Remote working has been found to provide numerous benefits, such as office cost savings, staff retention and reduced commute times. Coronavirus may be the extra push that normalizes remote working, which helps out working parents and welcomes those with disabilities and illnesses into the paid workforce.
LinkedIn found that there was a 78% increase in the number of job postings mentioning flexibility in the two years prior to 2019. A study from GitLab also found that 82% of people who work remotely believe it is the future and 59% said it made them more productive.
Still, if it is poorly executed, remote working can lead to even more work and less time catering to personal needs. This can have a negative impact on mental health and lead to burnout.
Furthermore, some respondents of a 2008 study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology found that telecommuters felt less confident. Female remote workers said working from home helped with caring responsibilities, but professionals say that this can lead to suppressed career development and isolation in general.
That is why companies that are adopting remote work policies need to implement the proper tools like Slack and Zoom to make sure workers are connected and avoid loneliness.
