The global pandemic is altering life dramatically around the world, leaving some people more impacted than others. While some aspects of life may return to normal, some things will never be the same. Many employers have allowed their employees to work from home to prevent the spread of the virus. Now bosses are learning that working from home is possible, as employees are equally or more productive. During a panel on business and Coronavirus, several credit unions shared how their firms were able to move over 90% of their staff to a work-at-home setting without reducing productivity. Before the pandemic, working from home was not commonly approved by employers. However, the Coronavirus uncovered the positives of at-home office work.
Employees prefer working from home for various reasons, including childcare, disability, and stress prevention. By working from home, employees are more in charge of their schedule and feel more comfortable. They no longer have stressors such as commuting to work, which takes time and money away from them and their families.
So will employees be able to continue working from home once the pandemic is over? Tech companies such as Facebook and Twitter say yes, announcing all employees will work from home from this point forward. Additionally, large sales network organizations, such as Nationwide Insurance, are closing offices as at-home work has taken off.
What is the impact on the employer, and should they allow their employees to work from home once the pandemic has come to an end? The myth of lower productivity is now debunked, and not only does at-home work benefit employees, but employers too. For example, employers will save money when they are no longer required to heat a building. Since productivity is going up without employees being at the office, CEOs are reconsidering the move back to an office environment in the wake of an economic downturn. Additionally, employers realize the advantages of a much larger pool of employees as they will no longer be bound to geographic restrictions.
According to Global Workplace Analytics, for each person that works remotely half the time, employers could save on average $11,00 a year. Additionally, workers can earn between $2,500 and $4,000 a year more by working remotely half the time.
Of course, there will always be people who prefer not to work from home and are itching to get back to the office once the pandemic is over.
We at Jobtracks are always looking for talented candidates. If you are interested in working remotely, JobTracks has many opportunities for you. Click the "Search Jobs" button below and check out our job board by typing "remote" as a search term.