The 2020 pandemic brought about a significant shift in the way businesses operate across the world. The traditional routine of waking up, grabbing a coffee, and commuting to work suddenly came to a halt. The onset of remote work, which was just beginning to gain traction, was thrust into the limelight as the only way to continue running successful businesses.
Employees who had never worked remotely before soon discovered the numerous benefits of working from home. They found that they had more time to focus on their work once they had established a schedule that worked for their household. Employers also realized that when their employees were less stressed and distracted, their quality of work improved, and they were more productive.
As a result of the social distancing protocols, many employees have requested to remain on remote status. They have demonstrated their self-discipline, initiative, and ability to produce high-quality work while maintaining a good work-life balance. Despite this, 44% of companies still do not allow remote work for several reasons.
Lucy Lyle, founder of Perch, has observed that in some companies, remote work is perceived as being synonymous with procrastination, distraction, and subpar, unsupervised work. However, Lucy Lyle suggests that if an employee is self-motivated, organized, and good at time management, they may be even more productive working from home. She recommends checking a report by the Owl Labs called “State of Remote Work 2021,” which notes that 84% of respondents reported being very satisfied with working from home and would even consider taking a pay cut to continue.
Lucy Lyle adds “Working from home promotes a stress-free lifestyle and has been shown to increase productivity and well-being.” The pandemic has brought about a revolution in the way businesses operate, and remote work is here to stay. Companies that embrace remote work and establish protocols for their employees to work effectively from home can reap the benefits of a more satisfied, productive workforce.