Remote working is becoming the norm across many industries, including technology. The industrial, one-size-fits-all, 9-to-5 desk job is becoming less and less appealing to the modern workforce. Companies are attempting to offset the exodus by offering in-office perks to accompany their traditional office jobs. Let’s take a look at eight reasons why a growing number of the modern workforce prefer remote options over in-office perks any day.
1 – Fewer Distractions, Easier to Focus
By creating your own workspace, you have the ability to control your environment and make it exactly what you need to be the most focused and productive version of yourself. You choose which distractions you allow in. There’s no open concept office space, fluorescent lighting or frigid air conditioning. There’s no annoyingly loud co-worker sitting two feet from your left or plague particles flying from all directions to land on your phone, keyboard or even worse, your face. And last but certainly not least, there’s no microwaved tuna fish or burnt popcorn odors wafting into your workspace (unless you like those smells, of course). You’re the master of your domain!
2 – Save Money
How much does the average office worker pay each year for gas to commute? Tolls? Parking? Wear and tear on their vehicle? Morning coffee? Eating out at lunch? Clothes and shoes? You get the picture. It’s amazing how much we spend just to get to (and look the part at) traditional office jobs.
3 – Save Time
While the cost of toll roads is no joke, let’s not forget about the emotional toll of sitting in traffic to and from work, 5 days a week. The U.S. Census Bureau recently reported that the average American spends 26 minutes getting to and from work each day. While that seems awfully low for those near any large city, even this quick commute equates to NINE entire days each year. Sitting in traffic. What could you do with nine extra days each year (or 18 days if we want to be more realistic with commute times)?
4 – Less Stress
This goes hand in hand with long commutes and office life in general. No stressful commute. No crazy weather to trek through. No annoying office gossip. Just you and your home-brewed coffee in your well-designed home office. In your preferred clothing. Imagine the change in perspective this gives you for starting the day in front of you.
5 – More Presence in Family and Social Life
Ever wish you could cut out early to make it to tailgating with your friends at a sports event, or not have to beat yourself up for missing yet another one of your child’s milestones, or sneak out to enjoy the perfect weather for a few hours, or not have to use PTO every time your child has a sports or school activity? Remote workers don’t need to make excuses; they get to design their work day to fit their needs and schedule.
6 – No Pants (or Makeup) Required
Enough said. The addition of a Post-it Note over your camera may be a good idea though.
7 – Location Independence
Travel the country with your family in an RV. Log in poolside at your apartment complex. Plan a long working visit with friends on the other side of the world. A computer and a reliable internet connection are typically all it takes.
8 – The Ability to Take Real Vacations
How often do you, as a traditional office worker, have to use the majority of your vacation days to cover for when you (or your kids) are sick? How about your kids’ snow days? Or early dismissals? Or random doctor appointments? It’s time for a real vacation. To somewhere warm I think.
Where Do I Sign Up?
These reasons (and plenty more) are what make remote working AMAZING. However, if you have never worked remotely – you need to set your expectations and prepare yourself. Many (many) people seem to think that ‘working from home’ amounts to plopping down on the sofa, watching television or playing video games all day, with maybe an hour or two of ‘work’ thrown in the mix. Good luck finding that gig.
The truth is that most remote workers tend to put in longer hours and take fewer breaks than traditional office workers. With no commute, and fewer distractions — which lead to more focus and productivity, it’s easy to see why.
Set Yourself Up For Success
Choosing a work schedule and space that fits your specific needs is essential if you want to maintain a healthy work/life balance, while being happy and productive in your remote job. What’s ideal for one person may not be ideal for another. Finding the approach that’s right for you is key.
Will you have a dedicated workspace, free of interruptions? A controlled environment may be your key to staying productive. Have a plan in place as to how you’ll handle interruptions. Understand your employer’s expectations beforehand. For instance, a dog barking in the background may be laughable on internal calls, but a big no-no on external calls with customers.
How will you disconnect from work and maintain work/life balance? Working from the sofa every day may begin to blur that line. Decide to completely disconnect by a certain time each day and hold yourself to it.
How will you stay connected with the outside world during your working hours? Some workers don’t do well in constant isolation. If this is important to you, working from a co-working space, a local library, or coffee shop one or two days per week will help to get you out of the house when you need it.
How will you make sure to get exercise in each day? Exercise can obviously be scheduled at any time around any work schedule, but while working remotely, it’s hard to ignore how rejuvenating a quick walk around the block or a short yoga session at random times during the day can be. Not to mention, the growing use of standing desks and treadmill desks. Multitasking at its finest.
Next Steps
So, forget the table tennis in the break room, or the beer keg in the office kitchen on Fridays. Office perks can only go so far. To truly achieve work/life balance, remote working is where it’s at. Ready to dive into a fully remote work environment with an amazing team? Look no further. We’re hiring and would love to speak with you.