In recent years, there's been a push among employees for more flexibility in work scheduling. For one thing, flexibility can lead to a better work-life balance -- something countless workers no doubt crave. But new data from Remote.co, a website that promotes the practice, tells us that flexibility doesn't just make workers happier; it also leads to better results. If your company has yet to adopt flexible scheduling, here are three statistics about remote work that just might change your mind.
1. An estimated 86% of workers are more productive when working remotely
Many companies are wary of letting workers telecommute. The logic is that when managers aren't physically present to oversee employees, those employees will be more likely to slack off. Additionally, in the absence of certain resources that might only be available in an office setting, employees might struggle to complete key tasks.
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Actually, most workers say they're more productive, not less, when they're allowed to work from home. And it makes sense. Working from home means less background noise and fewer individual interruptions from well-meaning co-workers who might err on the side of being overly chatty. Furthermore, folks who do their jobs from home are often less likely to get pulled into last-minute meetings -- meetings that might disrupt their workflow and take up undue chunks of their time.
2. Two-thirds of managers say employees who work remotely increase their overall productivity
It's not just employees themselves who believe they do a better job when they telecommute. Most managers agree that when workers are allowed to do their jobs from home, they get more done. Some of this might also boil down to accountability: When workers are given the privilege of working remotely, they might up their game in an effort to prove that they can be trusted to work independently. Either way, the companies that employ them win out as well.
3. A good 82% of telecommuters have less stress than their office-worker counterparts
Too much work-related stress isn't just bad for employees' health; it can result in employees completely burning out and losing all motivation. The fact that most telecommuters experience less job stress than those who work in offices unearths another good reason to support remote arrangements.
Folks who work from home can more easily avoid getting sucked into other people's conflicts. And for those who would otherwise have an aggravating commute, not having to start off each day battling traffic is a good way to eliminate avoidable tension, thereby letting those workers focus their mental energy on their actual jobs.
Employees who get the option to work from home are often less distracted, more productive, and less likely to burn out. If your company has thus far dismissed the idea of flexible work arrangements, it's time to make the case for a change. Otherwise, you not only risk a decline in worker satisfaction and output, but also risk losing valued employees to the many other companies more flexible than yours.
