Over the last few years, the idea of working from home has gained enormous popularity. When you consider the super early alarm clock, the hour-long commute each way, and the office politics of a conventional workspace, it’s easy to see why work-at-home positions are so desirable. From home, you can work in your PJs and even lay out in the sun while you answer emails. Sounds like a dream, right? But beyond the immediately tangible benefits are some serious psychological and monetary perks that may make you love the idea of working from home even more.
Improved work-life balance
Working from home cuts down on the number of distractions you encounter during your workday, allowing you to accomplish more during working hours. If your current job and commute seem to require all your waking hours, you’ll definitely appreciate the psychological benefits of better work-life balance. Not to mention, you’ll get to spend more time working on passion projects and ideas you’ve been hoping to pursue. And for employers, improved work-life balance makes for happier employees — and happier employees are more productive. Sounds like a win-win.
Reduced stress
For businesses, the effects are far-reaching. When surveyed, 82 percent of employees reported reduced stress levels when working from home. And happier, less stressed employees can make productivity skyrocket. In fact, some estimates propose that work-from-home employees are, on average, 13 percent more productive than their in-office counterparts. If that doesn’t sound impressive, researchers estimate that a 13 percent bump in productivity equates to an entire day’s extra work over the span of one week!
More money in the bank
Would anyone turn down more money in their bank account? Not likely. Working from home not only allows employees to keep more of their hard-earned dollars, but it also improves business profitability. According to Global Workplace Analytics, over 90 percent of employees are concerned with the high cost of fuel, and subsequently, the cost of commuting to work. In fact, two-thirds of employees said they would leave their current job if it meant shorter, less expensive travel times. When you work from home, you eliminate this expense entirely — and that’s not the only one, either. No more expensive lunches out, fewer pricey cocktails after work and fewer trips to the office vending machine will all put more of your hard-earned cash in your pocket.
When it comes to home-based work, opinions are still mixed. However, this trend doesn’t appear to be going away anytime soon. With nearly two-thirds of the workforce expressing a desire to work from home, and the surprising statistics surrounding at-home work and productivity, it is likely that work-from-home positions will continue to gain momentum.
What do you think are the benefits of working remotely? Tell us by tweeting @CareerCamel.
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