The COVID-19 Pandemic, and the way that it confined us to our home during the working week, caused many of us to reconsider how and where we worked. 

Although restrictions are now lifted, many in the business world are considering a work from home, or hybrid model for their employees. A remote work model can have a surprising amount of advantages not only for employees, but for the company that they work for. Here is a list of several of the key advantages of the remote work model for businesses

Reducing Absenteeism

While some absenteeism in the workplace is unavoidable due to illness (or other unforeseen complications), remote work can result in a downturn in absenteeism due to the elimination of commuting time for employees. 

Indeed, workers may find that they are comfortable starting earlier and finishing later if they are able to do so in the comfort of their own homes. This can lead to greater efficiency in the workplace, and the completion of more tasks. In fact, even if an employee is sick, they may be more inclined to work if they are able to do so from home, where they can take the appropriate rest if need be. 

Savings on Equipment and Office Space

A key benefit of the remote work model for companies is the very direct way that it can save money on equipment and office space. With employees working from home, companies can save money on office rental, office equipment, furniture, as well as on cleaning and building maintenance.  

Further, if you are a company that hires freelance workers, you can save on tech equipment since many of these workers often have their own equipment at home. 

Building Trust, Loyalty and Happiness

Although a communal office may at first seem the ideal place to build up a sense of employee loyalty, it can be equally advantageous for employers to deploy a remote work model for similar reasons. 

Allowing employees to work from home implies a sense of trust in their ability to work without constant supervision. This increased trust can result in a greater sense of loyalty from the employee and thus lead to greater employee retention in the long run. 

Furthermore, working from a comfortable home environment can be advantageous to the mental health of the employee, resulting in greater productivity and a happier workforce.

Productivity

On the subject of supervision, many believe that productivity must be closely monitored in an office environment. However there are compelling reasons to suggest that remote work may actually result in greater productivity from employees. 

Not only are remote employees free from the distractions of office politics and their co-workers, they are also more free to set up their own quiet working space, free from distraction. 

These working spaces can often induce greater productivity than the hustle and bustle of shared office space. The lack of person to person communication in offices can be offset by the introduction of an intranet system and the myriad of remote telecommunications platforms such as Zoom and Skype.

More Flexible Working Hours 

The use and role of flexible working can be a competitive advantage. It makes sense to have employees all working a 9-5 shift at a particular office location, since everyone can work closely together and collaborate.

However, in the contemporary, globalised marketplace, it can be seen as more advantageous to have remote teams across major time zones who can work around the clock for the business. This mode of working  can be particularly advantageous for companies with a global customer base, whose inquiries and problems need to be solved 24/7.