Remote Work is On the Rise: 4 Reasons Why You Should Consider It
This style of work benefits both employees and employers alike so it’s no surprise why it’s gaining popularity.
Do you often find yourself daydreaming about leaving your office job to start working remotely?
While you may think only developers and programmers get to find awesome remote work positions, the number of companies hiring remote employees has never been higher.
And that’s because hiring a remote workforce benefits both employers and employees alike, as you’ll learn today.
Why Are Companies Hiring More Remote Workers?
When researchers sent out a survey to 1,000 hiring managers, they learned up to 38% of their full-time existing team members are anticipated to become remote workers within the next 10 years.
But why is that?
For many companies, the cost of keeping everyone under the same roof is an expense that just keeps growing, especially in major cities such as Austin, Texas and Mountain View, California.
So the question then becomes: Why waste a chunk of the profits just keeping the lights on?
With remote workers, there are fewer chairs, desks, office supplies, and square footage needed to run the business.
Not to mention a smaller budget for snacks in the break room, birthday cakes, phone and internet bills, etc.
That means there’s extra money to use for team-building activities like corporate retreats instead.
Extra cash in the coffers isn’t the only reason why employers are turning to remote team members.
They’re also going remote to expand their search for the perfect candidate.
Rather than having to choose from the local talent pool only, companies can now connect with someone who has the right experience and professional skills even though they may live halfway across the world.
And, unlike having to relocate a potential employee like this, employers won’t have to incur any additional costs to bring them on board.
So far you’ve seen why remote work is great for employers, but how do virtual employees make out with this trend?
Here’s What Remote Workers Really Think
As we mentioned in this guide, 90% of remote workers plan to continue with this style of work until they retire.
And some of their top reasons for this include:
- Having a flexible schedule (45% reported this as a key benefit)
- More family time (15%)
- Ability to travel (12%)
- Being more productive (9%)
- Not dealing with office politics (9%)
- Having more time to exercise and eat better (3%)
But, as you’ll see next, these aren’t the only perks that come with working remotely.
4 Reasons Why You Should Consider Remote Work
Because while certain types of people need the structure a traditional office setting provides to tell them when they need to get to work, others with self-motivation and discipline like you need your environment to inspire your energetic juices. These benefits have traditional office workers jumping ship to greener pastures:
#1: You’re Not Limited Geographically
If you’re struggling to find a well-paying or fulfilling job in your field and in your local area, remote work can help you expand your reach geographically.
It can also give you the opportunity to work for a major company in your niche without having to relocate your entire life.
So if you dream of working for a company with a corporate HQ based in a pricey city, you won’t have to move or incur a higher cost of living to work there, which means you’ll be able to keep more of your salary.
And if staying put in a cubicle isn’t your style, remote work can also accommodate your need to explore.
#2: Your Office Becomes Anywhere in the World
Tired of seeing the same four walls for 8+ hours day in and day out? When you’re a remote worker, you can change up your office setting as often as you like. You can work from home, at the coffee shop, beach, or anywhere in between.
And if you decide to travel, your office is only limited to where you have a solid internet connection, which means you could theoretically work from anywhere around the globe.
You can even clock in a few hours while on vacation and before your family wakes up if you wanted to.
Being able to control your office space also means you can take advantage of this next perk.
#3: You Can Create a Comfortable, Productive Workspace
If you’ve ever worked for a true start-up, you may have been subjected to second-hand office chairs and desks with janky, uneven legs.
Work like this for eight hours and you’re bound to experience back pain and frustration.
Cramped desks, often filled with several team members, also keep employees in an uncomfortable and stiff position all day.
And now you have to contend with the latest unproductive office style: open floor plans.
Not only are these distracting to begin with, but you may also have to deal with paper thin walls and loud salespeople constantly chatting away during your most productive hours.
On the flip side, when you’re a remote employee, you can purchase an office setup that’s actually comfortable to sit at all day, without worrying about another employee trying to commandeer it.
These differences help you eliminate the discomfort and distractions of a traditional job so you can focus on being as productive as possible.
Plus, between your extra productivity and your lack of a commute, you may find an extra hour or two in your daily schedule too.
#4: Eliminate Long Commutes & Use the Extra Time as You See Fit
Shrinking your commute gives you an extra hour, maybe even more, to use at your disposal.
You could either start and end your workday sooner or take that time to exercise or meditate (or both!) to improve your mental and physical health. Bonus: This can also help you become more productive.
So instead of wasting time commuting in a high stress environment, you can create just the opposite by using that time wisely.
Are You Finally Ready to Land a Remote Position?
Now that you know why both employees and employers are turning to remote work, you’re probably curious to see what types of virtual jobs are up for grabs.
Fortunately, there’s no shortage of remote positions to apply for in categories like programming, customer support, management, design, and so much more.
To see available positions, check out this page next!
But before you apply to any jobs on there, be sure to read this article first.
And if you’re still on the fence about remote work, this article dispels 8 myths about it.
In the end, only you can decide if remote work is right for you.
But it’s clear to see the benefits that come with this style of work help employees and employers alike so all signs point to continued growth.