The global COVID-19 outbreak has brought us many problems and stressful situations. People are afraid of getting infected, and everyone must play by strict rules in order to protect themselves and people they love.
However, amid this whole situation, there is one big advantage that everyone simply loves – working from home! Almost 99% of companies across the globe have allowed their employees to work from home, and no one can tell when will they start coming back to the office.
Some companies plan to do this in waves, sending people back to the office in small groups. Others are still not thinking about this step. A small percentage of companies are thinking about making work from home a permanent option.
If you ever thought about whether you should let your employees work from home permanently, this article might be the answer you were looking for!
The Advantages of Working From Home
There is no doubt that working from home has many advantages, both for employees and business owners.
If you are having second thoughts about making this a permanent solution for your company, here are some of the advantages that might help you decide.
1. Working from home makes employees happy
The first and most obvious reason why you should let your employees work from home permanently is that it will make them happy.
People are enjoying the extra time they get to spend with their loved ones. Even though the safety measures now require this option, once the outbreak is behind us there will be no need for it any longer.
Nevertheless, if you continue this practice, it will create a positive atmosphere and motivate your employees.
2. Your company can save money
Not all companies have the luxury of owning their business offices; a large percentage decide to rent office space and equipment instead. Also, monthly expenses can add up, and that directly affects your income.
If you let your employees work from home permanently, you will save a substantial amount of money that would be otherwise spent on renting office space. This money can be put to better use, to further grow your business.
Of course, this cannot be applied to every line of work. With that in mind, evaluate the situation based on what business you are running, and act accordingly.
3. Let’s talk about being productive
An average employee can take from 30 minutes to 2 hours to get to work. The same amount of time is spent on coming back home. We live in an age where every second counts, and losing a few hours commuting is not beneficial to anyone.
Now that we can easily connect online, everything can be done from home, thus saving a lot of time. Why should you have office meetings and waste time on setting up the room and the equipment, when you can organize everything from home?
With that in mind, think of ways to help your employees set up an efficient home office, and allow them to save time which will, in turn, increase productivity.
Read Also: 14+ Best Productivity Apps To Increase Your Productivity
4. Employees can be more efficient if they work from home
In most cases, people will be more motivated if they can work from home. Since they can organize their time in a better way, they will work more efficiently.
One of the biggest concerns of companies that do not support the option of working remotely is that the employees will not work as hard as when working from an office. Many believe that productivity, efficiency, and work discipline will be substantially reduced.
However, this all depends on one factor – are you doing everything you can as a business owner to build accountability in your employees’ home office routines? Companies must educate their employees and teach them how to be more efficient.
5. It becomes possible to hire the best workers, no matter where they live
Have you ever had a person come for a job interview and they simply kill it, but they live too far away and decide not to take the job?
There are numerous situations where employees try to work for a couple of months from the office even though they have to commute for a few hours to get to work and back home. Eventually, they decide to quit and look for a job closer to home.
It is true that you can always hire new employees, but that is not the best practice. Having loyal employees who will never want to look for another job is the goal if you wish to run your business successfully.
If you let your employees work from home permanently, you can hire virtually anyone, no matter where they are.
6. You will notice a decrease in sick leave
When people get sick, they always take a few days off. Even if they are capable of coming to work, it is good to rest from time to time and refill your batteries. However, if they work from home, they can work even if they are sick.
Working from home makes everyone feel more relaxed, and your employees won’t feel the need to ask for sick days.
Are there any disadvantages to allowing employees to work from home permanently?
Even though there are many reasons why you should let your employees work from home permanently, you must look at the other side of the coin as well. Are there any disadvantages in this case?
We already mentioned above that, in some cases, you can expect:
- A lack of work discipline
- Lower productivity and efficiency
- Less control over what your employees do
However, we must say that the negative results are almost always because of a lack of communication with your employees. While some of your employees might simply be better workers than others, know that everyone can be taught to be disciplined and efficient.
Remember that the most important thing is to properly motivate your employees. If you do that in the right way, there is nothing they can’t do!
You May Like To Read:
- 7 Tips For More Accountability in Your New Work-From-Home Routine
- COVID-19: Top 5 Cyber Security Tips For Working From Home
- How To Give Your Employees A Sense of Togetherness While They Are Working From Home
Author bio: Marc Johnson works as a freelance blogger, mostly writing about tips for running a successful business. His articles can help you learn how to increase work productivity, find qualified personnel, cut down company expenses, and relocate your NYC business hassle-free. In his spare time, Marc enjoys a good book and a long hike.
