8 remote working benefits to employers and employees for 2024

A worthwhile debate in the world of human resources is whether remote working is good or bad for employees and the business.

According to Forbes Advisor, 12.7% of full-time employees work from home and 28.2% are granted a hybrid-working model, which is heavily influenced by the coronavirus pandemic, but is largely a result of technological innovation, better connectivity, and changing business culture. COVID-19 merely accelerated awareness of remote working’s feasibility, and it’s leading the world into its most transformative era.

Of course, we know from the growing amount of content in the media and speculation around technology that both businesses and their teams can benefit from this in many ways—so, here they are: the pros of allowing (and accepting) remote working opportunities.

The benefits for employees working remotely

The job market is changing, and you’ve only got to look at the likes of LinkedIn and other job boards to realise there are more roles that offer remote working than ever before. From the perspective of the employee, the reasons to accept this are as follows.

Work-life balance can improve

Imagine what it would be like to manage your own time, and be available to support at home more frequently. Those that already work from home probably can’t imagine what it would be like to return back to an office full time.

The ability to work remotely allows more people to get their homes in order, dealing with little errands or tasks during their breaks, and even increase their time with family and friends outside of working hours—by cutting out travel time.

Not only is it great to be working in the comfort of your own home, but this can also be refreshing for the average person. Generally, workers are granted a hybrid-working model, which gives the best of both worlds, enabling focus time when at home, and sociable, collaborative time in the office.

Grant yourself freedom

What does freedom look like? Have you ever experienced this on a personal level? Now apply that to your work and discover how much can be achieved when you’re able to tailor the working day to your most productive self. Taking ownership of your work day can be incredibly fulfilling—still somewhat unnerving—but once you’re used to this you can begin to impart productivity mechanisms on yourself to get more done in less time.

If you’re attempting to find pros to present to your employer, this would be the one.

Enjoy your employment experience

When you understand how to manage your role more effectively, not only does this improve your reputation within the organisation you work with, but it also makes working a little more exciting. The fulfilment gained from this is not too dissimilar to working as your own boss.

Companies don’t want to pay to micromanage people, but manage projects and ensure quality is high and friction is low.

As someone who can work remotely and still get the job done, you’ll be seen as a person with manager-like practice in any role. In turn you could potentially see better returns for your efforts or generally just enjoy shorter hours and a more productive day. Do it, do it well, and it will be fulfilling.

More jobs available remotely

The digital landscape is changing and more companies are aware of the talent available to them on a national, and even global, level. With this in mind, if you’re prepared (willing in fact) to take on a remote job, this opens you up to new employment opportunities. Based in the UK, you can work with any country that operates digitally—providing they offer overseas employment, you meet their criteria, and have a solid resume.

The benefits for employers of remote workers

As an employer, a shifting business model will allow a number of benefits in terms of staff’s approach to work and the overall communications model of the organisation. The following benefits are a result of this, but hinge of a successful means of operating.

Better employee performance

Realistically, if employees are happier at work, it’s likely they’ll perform better. As mentioned above, employees that can work remotely or on a hybrid basis, are likely to be more productive as they learn how to manage their time to suit them. Not everyone works in the same way and, as a remote employer, you’re committing to this knowledge in a hope that will retain or improve staff morale, maybe even put them in a situation to become more creative.

Reduction of infrastructure and overall business costs

Gone are the days when companies would base their success on the size of their office or the number of barista machines they have. With a lot of business functions taking place in the cloud, employees can share meetings and collaborate remotely with less friction in some cases. As a result, the cost of kitting out a fully fledged office is reduced, and even data-centre space can be used externally with more companies operating cloud-enabled infrastructure.

More hiring possibilities

On the subject of hiring (also mentioned in an employee context), companies benefit from a global talent pool. Depending on their industry, many of them can increase their workforce skills through international hiring.

Reducing corporate carbon footprint

Providing, as an employer, you’re not inclined to call an in-person meeting unless absolutely necessary, employing people that work remotely can reduce the company’s overall carbon footprint. The overarching idea is that business travel is limited when online meetings are encouraged. This is not only from an internal perspective, but external communications can often be achieved through remote interactions.

Tips for managing a remote workforce

For the employee, it’s all about weighing up the pros and cons of the remote-working lifestyle. While this article covers the key benefits, we’ll also assess the issues that can arise from working at home—which are generally the reverse of this list.

Employees must understand the requirements of the role, consider any necessary training, and get to grips with the overall communication ability of the organisation they plan to work with. More importantly, is your household suitable for remote work? If there’s carnage at home—in the form of noisy neighbours, busyness, and general distractions—then it’s likely to be harder to compartmentalise work and family.

From the employer’s perspective, it’s important to put the necessary systems in place to account for remote working. Communication is key, so ensure that you can collaborate with teams without making them feel as though ‘Big Brother’ is watching them.

When it comes to assigning tasks and managing progress, a project management system (PMS) could be the key to sharing a collaborative workspace where each employee can customise their own to-do list that aligns with the broader project overview or organisational goals. Many of such platforms will allow automation, meaning personnel can be notified when task status’ change and new projects arrive.

Making it simpler for teams to do their jobs is a must in any case.