More and more companies are embracing flexible working structures, particularly in light of the coronavirus pandemic. The traditional nine-to-five office structure has endured for many years, but it looks like it may be on its way out. There are several benefits of working from home, both for the remote employees themselves and for managers.

Here are just a few.

Benefits for Employees

• A better work-life balance: Having a flexible working structure means they have greater freedom to pick up their kids from school, do some exercise, or visit the doctor. And as long as they get their work done, why should this be a problem?
• More responsibility: Remote working reduces your ability to micromanage, and your employees will benefit from the added responsibility and trust this affords them.
• No commute: Crawling through stationary traffic or squeezing onto a packed train at rush hour is arguably the most stressful part of any workday. Remote working eliminates this entirely.
• More free time: When you live and work in the same place, this frees up your schedule to spend more time with your family, work out, sleep longer, or relax.
• They will be happier: With all the above improvements to their life, your workers will be considerably happier in their job. And who can put a price on happiness?

Benefits for Managers

• More productive employees: With happier, more satisfied, better-rested employees, your business productivity will skyrocket. Many managers are reluctant to adopt flexible working because they feel their employees won’t work as hard without strict management and deadlines. But studies have shown that the opposite is true. The benefits of working from home actually make workers more productive, and your business will benefit as a result. 
• Less time wasted: How much time does your company waste in meetings that don’t need to happen? Cutting out useless meetings, office small-talk, and other daily time wasters frees up everyone’s schedule to get that little bit more work done.
• Reduced overheads: Without an office full of staff, your business will be able to save a huge amount of money. You will spend a lot less on your energy bills and won’t need to buy things like stationery, water, and office snacks.
• Easier talent acquisition: With a traditional office structure, you can only hire applicants who live within a certain distance. This potentially prevents you from hiring the best talent out there. But with a remote workforce, you can theoretically recruit absolutely anyone in the world. All they need is an internet connection and a laptop, and they can be just as effective working from abroad as they would sitting in the office. In addition, your company’s flexible working policy will look attractive to potential applicants, and you will find it a lot easier to fill vacant positions.
• It’s easier than ever: With the advances in video collaboration technology over recent years, it’s never been this easy to manage a remote workforce. Software like Microsoft Teams allows workers to collaborate on projects, while companies like JabberComm can give your business the technology infrastructure it needs to maintain a productive, remote workforce.

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