Here’s the deal: The world has learned the people absolutely love working from home.
It’s one of the hidden blessings that’s come as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
And because so many people are loving working from home, many companies are now offering remote work opportunities to employees who are willing to work remotely.
And it works out for employers too. In fact, many employers prefer hiring remote workers because they save money on office space and equipment, and other expenses.
There are lots of benefits to working from home, including saving money, having flexible hours, and being able to spend more time with family.
So whether you’re an employer or boss, who’s doing research on whether you should allow your employees to work from home, or if you’re a worker who wants to keep working from home, here are some reasons why working from home makes sense for everyone.
Real quick, before we get too far into it here, if you want to get more great ideas for your gaming room or home office and want to connect with other home office hackers to make your space the best join my free private Facebook group, Home Office Hacks here.
What are the reasons to continue working from home?
There are several reasons why you can continue working from home. However, depending on your work situation, companies may not have a choice but to call remote workers back to the office. If the option still remains even after the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s important to know which work setting works best for you.
Indeed, people will think “office miserable, work from home good”. If you are considering the idea of continuing to work from home and your company allows this, here are some good reasons to continue doing so:
The work-life balance won’t be disturbed
Indeed, you may have noticed a positive work-life balance as you started working from home. You’ll be closer to family and you might find yourself in a less stressful environment. All the better, you’ll be able to enjoy life after the work day is done.
You get extra time for yourself. Not to mention time with family. With less levels of stress, it can work wonders for your personal health.
Your company should be aware of the fact that a work from home options will be a beneficial arrangement for most employees. Whether they had the COVID-19 vaccine or not, it will also give employees an easy option in terms of staying home and working or returning to their original office space. If you have family at home much of the day and you need to work, you won’t be too far away from them.
A positive work-life balance will also lessen any mental health challenges you may have. Plus, employee health should be a priority if you are an employer. Someone may be dealing with a health condition that requires them to keep their stress level as low as possible.
It can be healthy for you
The American Psychological Association had this to say about the certain health issues that may arise with stress at the office:
“A stressful work environment can lead to issues like stomach aches, headaches, sleep deprivation, difficulty focusing and concentrating, and short tempers among others. Chronic stress can lead to a weakened immune system, high blood pressure, and anxiety.”
Think about it for a moment. These issues can lead to something even greater. High blood pressure puts you at a much higher risk for heart attack and stroke.
When it comes to the office environment and the office politics that go along with it, this is the last thing you want to deal with. This is one more reason why working from home can be your best friend. You have a flexible schedule so you can work when you want.
Your personal life also shouldn’t be the topic of office gossip either. So keep it professional and healthy whether you’re at the real office or the office at home.
Little to no commute time
No commute, no problem. Think about it: you won’t have to beat the traffic each morning by getting up early. Or face the stress of accidentally sleeping in and running late.
When you work from home, your commute will be from your bedroom to the desk across the hall. Not too shabby of a deal, huh? Your own office space that is steps away from your bedroom.
When you have a short commute, you are less stressed. On top of that, your low stress levels will also give you an increase in productivity as well. No one wants to work when they are highly stressed.
Plus, you save money on such unnecessary things like parking fees. And you reduce the production of greenhouse gas emissions by not using your vehicle as often. Commuting less will benefit not only yourself, but also your wallet, and the environment.
Talk about a win-win-win for everyone.
Because it was bound to happen sooner or later
Working from home was going to be an inevitable thing. However, it was perhaps expected within the next five to ten years (perhaps earlier). However, the coronavirus outbreak forced it to make an early appearance albeit with a bit of instability and concepts that seemed a bit incomplete.
But nevertheless, people figured it out as they went and made improvements along the way. Employers were worried that remote work could be the death of the traditional office environment. However, there is a compromise that needs to be done.
This led to better-than-expected experiences for those that wanted to try out working from home themselves. They noticed less commute stress, happiness with their remote schedule, and being able to get on with their personal life.
Employers should keep the best interests of their employees in mind while considering what would be best for the company. Essential workers may have a choice between home or the office. For this reason, it may be wise for companies to consider a hybrid working model.
However, this will not work for almost every business in the world. Some of the businesses will require manual, hands-on labor. For this reason, not every business like your auto mechanic or even healthcare professionals may not find the hybrid work environment to be the best idea.
That’s because they will need to properly diagnose an issue (be it with a person or a vehicle) and be able to make decisions. But there is no doubt that a majority of workers would want nothing more than to work from home if the opportunity were to present itself.
Now that everything has unfolded, you will see some things become commonalities. Let’s take a look at the following examples:
- Remote work schedule:Â This can be permanent or on a basis where they can work from home a few days out of the week (and work at the office once or twice weekly)
- Safety precautions for illness:Â Some changes can be made to the safety measures to protect employees in the event of illness. This may include not showing up at the office if they exhibit symptoms of various illnesses.
- The use of many tools: These includes your progress-tracking tools and video conference tools. This means companies will look to include this in their budget of essential tools to accommodate the remote workers.
- Real estate market changes:Â Office spaces may be repurposed. People may be purchasing homes with one extra bedroom that may serve as their work from home office space. These are two things that will likely happen not just right now, but going forward.
How can I convince my boss to work from home?
Working from home is great because it allows you to spend more time with your family, but it can be hard to convince your boss to let you work from home. Here are some reasons why your boss should consider letting you work from home.
- Your productivity increases when you’re not chained to an office desk. Studies have shown that you’re just as productive, if not more productive when you’re working from home, for many people.
- You save the company money by cutting down on office expenses. If you’re working remotely, then you don’t need an office, so you won’t be paying rent, utilities, etc. You also won’t need any furniture, which saves the company money.
- It reduces traffic congestion. When you work from home, you’ll probably be commuting less often, which means fewer cars on the road. That means less pollution and less traffic.
- You save the planet. Working from home helps reduce carbon emissions, since you won’t be driving anywhere. It also helps reduce energy consumption, since you’ll be using electricity much less frequently.
- It reduces stress. Many people say that working from home makes them feel calmer, happier, and more relaxed. It might seem counterintuitive, but it really does help.
- You get to enjoy your free time more. Since you’re not spending all day stuck in traffic, you can actually relax and enjoy your spare time.
- It reduces office politics. Since you aren’t spending time in the office, you won’t have to deal with office gossip.
- It improves employee morale. Employees who work from home tend to feel happier, healthier, and more satisfied with their jobs. They also tend to be more engaged
- You save money on commuting costs. The average American spends $8,000 per year commuting to and from work. If you live close enough to work, you can cut this cost down to just $4,000 per year.
- You save money on gas and car maintenance. Commuting to the office every day can be expensive, especially when gas prices are as high as they’ve been in the summer of 2022! Not to mention, you can downsize your transportation by going to a smaller car or even a bicycle in some instances.
- You save money on parking fees. Parking at work is expensive. If you park closer to your workplace, you can save money on monthly parking fees.
- You save money on food expenses. Eating lunch at work can add up quickly. If you eat at home, you won’t need to buy lunches every day.
- You save money on clothing expenses. If you don’t dress professionally, you might not even need to buy clothes for work.
Next Steps
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