Since 2020, work-from-home opportunities have become easier to find. While it can take some adjustments on both sides, working from home has significant benefits for employees and employers.
Read on to learn some of the advantages of work-from-home roles, as well as how to find these jobs.
What Are the Benefits of Remote Work for Employees?
While no two jobs are exactly alike, you can generally expect these benefits in working from home.
• Workday flexibility. Depending on company policy, you may be less tied to your desk while working from home during the day. That could give employees the time to attend to housekeeping chores or to take a walk between meetings and tasks. Similarly, employees may be able to start their workday earlier or later based on preference.
• No commute. With no commute to or from the office, employees who work from home free up time during the day. They may also save money on public transport or gas and car maintenance.
• Fewer interruptions. With no water cooler to gather around or coworkers to people-watch, working from home often has fewer social interruptions than a traditional office setting.
• Less formality. The work-from-home dress code is usually less formal than the office. Not only are employees more comfortable during the day, they can save on wardrobe costs.
• Location. Many work-from-home employees have the luxury of choosing where they work geographically — though they may still be required to work hours that align with their employer’s time zone.
Compared with a traditional office job, working from home can take some getting used to, but many employees feel that it’s worth it.
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Examples of Remote Work Benefits for Employees
The benefits of working from home for employees are far ranging and vary by role and company. But the examples below help explain why remote work is appealing to many office workers.
Saving Money
People who work from home save money on things like lunches out and an office wardrobe. Employees who can prepare meals in their own kitchen are less likely to rely on takeout. Similarly, employees save money without a commute, whether that means reduced trips to the gas station or fewer public transit passes.
Setting up a home office can involve new expenses, but if workers are smart about managing their work-from-home budget, they usually come out ahead.
A spending app can quickly show you how much money you’d save by working from home.
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Saving Time
Office distractions can challenge productivity. Working from home can have its share of distractions as well — including chores, children, and pets. (Some parents with flexible work-from-home jobs may long for their relatively peaceful days in the office.) But for the most part, employees tend to be more productive when they work from home.
At home, you’re unlikely to fall into conversations on a journey from your desk to the bathroom, and less likely to be interrupted when you’re focused on a task.
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Saving Sanity
While it can be harder to quantify, employees who work from home may feel less stressed during the workday. This can be attributed to everything from setting up an optimal home office to avoiding a stressful commute.
Reducing workplace stressors can benefit productivity, job satisfaction, and employee engagement.
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What Are the Benefits of Remote Work for Employers?
At first glance, it may feel like remote work is largely more beneficial to the employee than the employer. However, that’s not necessarily the case. The employer benefits are motivating many companies to prepare for a more remote workforce.
• Lower operational costs. Employers save money when they’re not leasing and maintaining an office space. They may also be able to save on things like office equipment and employee benefits.
• Flexible budgets. When a company can hire from anywhere across the country or globe, it may be able to acquire talent at a more affordable rate.
• Higher productivity. Productive employees lead to a better bottom line for employers.
• Less absenteeism. When everyone is working remotely, there’s less likelihood of an office bug that sends half the employees home, reducing sick days.
• Higher retention. Employees who are happy with the remote office policies are more likely to stay with the company. Improved retention rates can save a company significant resources over the long run.
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Examples of Remote Work Benefits for Employers
Employees have more autonomy in a remote culture, but worker satisfaction ultimately benefits employers as well.
Better for the Bottom Line
When a team is fully remote, a company saves money and resources on office space, utilities, maintenance, furniture, and benefits like catered lunches and new equipment.
Remote work also frees office managers and similar roles to focus on things like company culture and worker satisfaction instead of sourcing new carpets and real estate.
Better for the Talent Pool
When geography isn’t an issue, employers can access a much wider talent pool. If a company seeks highly specific roles or qualifications, a national or even international search can yield much better applicants than one limited to a single area.
Remote work can broaden the talent pool in another way. Many qualified candidates cannot spend long hours in an office on a regular basis, either because they have a physical disability or they care for a child or aging parent who needs supervision. Also, retirees who want to bring in some additional income may feel more comfortable in a work-from-home job.
Better for Boosting Satisfaction
Satisfaction may be less noticeable than savings on rent or getting better applicants for an open job. Still, when employees are happy in their roles, it generally leads to less turnover, higher productivity, and a more positive work environment.
When teams are engaged and happy, they’ll do better work, saving the company time and money. Plus, less time is wasted on hiring and training new employees, so employers can focus on growth and building a stronger company culture.
How to Find Remote Job Opportunities
If the benefits of remote work make it sound like a good fit for you, here are some ways to “try before you buy.”
• Consider getting a second job you can devote time to at home after hours.
• Negotiate with your current company to work from home one day a week for a set period — for instance, Fridays during the summer.
• Reach out to friends who work from home for their take on what it’s really like (and maybe a referral!).
• Not all work-from-home jobs are tied to a corporate office. Start your own business inspired by your skills and passions.
The Takeaway
With remote work becoming more common, it’s worth learning about the benefits for employers and employees. Working from home can reduce stress, boost productivity, and even save employees money. For employers, remote work can help their bottom line by reducing office costs and increasing employee retention.
Wondering how much cash you’d save without a commute and daily lunches out? SoFi’s money tracker app allows you to monitor all your accounts in one mobile dashboard.
FAQ
What are the benefits of working from home for employees?
Most of the benefits of working from home for employees have to do with autonomy. Work-from-home employees get to choose where they work, how they work, when they work, and even their dress code.
What are five advantages of working from home?
Five advantages of working from home include workday flexibility, saving time and money, boosted productivity, location flexibility, and setting your own hours.
What is the biggest advantage of working from home?
For most employees, the two biggest advantages of working from home are saving time and money. Employees save time by not commuting to and from work or chatting with coworkers. Similarly, they’ll probably save money in the long run by avoiding lunches out and spending less on workplace attire.
Photo credit: iStock/miniseries
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