The outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020 necessitated a change in work structures around the world. This development led to a shift in organizational attention, to the immense potential of a system that could accommodate millions of people working independently from different locations to achieve organizational goals.
Remote Work – Brief History
Remote workers did not just appear from anywhere. The practice of working from any location other than an office is as old as man and the internet.
History shows that the practice of working in offices and factories originated just after world war 1 – the industrial revolution, long after man had revolutionized the systems of trade and business.
Despite the increase in office culture over the years, remote jobs and the practice of remote work have remained relevant, co-existing side-by-side with office practice for the completion of unfinished tasks after work hours.
Remote working has always been an integral part of our work culture even though it hadn’t been given widespread acceptance as we now have it. From the usage of staff-only servers where information is passed from superior to subordinate; to online staff meetings and social media conferencing, in one way or another, we all have done remotely what ought to be done within the confines of an office.
This article discusses the advantages of working from home, as well as how working from home, can enhance global living standards. It goes on to explain how a “work from home” policy might help an organisation’s output.
Why Remote Work?
Working from home has the following advantages:
- Improved Employee Productivity
- Reduction in Operational Cost
- Improved Market Penetration
- High Staff Retention Ratio
- Better Work-Life Balance
Improved Employee Productivity
An analysis of efficiency on remote work was carried out in March 2021 by Jose Maria Barrero of the autonomous Institute of Technology, Mexico, and Steven .J. Davis of Chicago booth. The statistical results showed that, as of March 2021, a year after the coronavirus pandemic, 60% of America’s working population worked remotely and were said to be more productive working from home.
Employees who work from home are generally more productive than those who add an office to their workspace. This is so because the freedom to establish their work hours allows employees to work when they are most productive, rather than the usual 9 to 5 hours.
Remote work eliminates the stress that comes with having to pick the right outfit for work, and most importantly, commuting. With an almost weightless gadget like a P.C (personal computer) and an internet connection, loads of work can quickly be done – a clear definition of Productivity.
“Remote work allows individuals to figure when they’re most relaxed and within the most efficient state of mind, leading to increased productivity”.
Reduced Operational Costs
Operational costs are the expenses that a company incurs in order to stay in business. Organisations invest a lot of money every year to keep their offices in good shape – from repairs to replacements to upgrades, keeping an office is pricey for what it is worth.
Working from home helps to keep these expenses to a bare minimum. Remote working focuses on worker output and work flexibility rather than amassing operational expenditures. Because these people work remotely and report online, it allows a firm to choose a more flexible headquarters that doesn’t have to be as large to suit a large number of employees.
Working from home saves money on rent and reduces the need for multiple branch offices across the country. It reduces business overhead costs like electricity tariffs and office building insurance. As a result, working remotely reduces unneeded costs from an organisation’s total revenue, increasing the amount of profit available at the end of the fiscal year.
“Remote work focuses on worker production and job flexibility rather than operational expenditures“.
Improved Market Penetration
Simply said, market penetration refers to the level to which a company’s product offering is valued, purchased, and consumed by the local population.
Remember that working remotely allows a company to save money on operations. A lower operational cost corresponds to a lower manufacturing cost. With lower production costs, businesses can concentrate on producing high-quality goods and selling them at lower prices, making the product more appealing to the general public (Ceteris paribus and vis-à-vis, the lower the price, the higher the demand).
Working remotely also assists with market penetration through unconscious online marketing activities. Employees are sometimes unaware of the process, hence the term “unconscious.”
The frequent use of the internet to search, send, and receive data causes the internet to save certain keywords related to a company’s product offering, so that whenever a random user performs a search query using any of the keywords, the product offering is listed as one of the possible results, keeping the product in front of potential customers at all times. This is unintentional and so extremely cheap.
“With a lowered cost of production, businesses may specialise in producing quality items and selling for lower prices, making the merchandise more appealing within the broader market”.
Higher Employee Retention
Rapid employee turnover rate in an organisation reflects managerial incompetence and bad working conditions. Employees are more likely to stay with a company if they believe the company is committed to their personal development.
Working from home reduces the likelihood of employee turnover in the first two years of employment. This is because employees who work remotely have greater control of their time, feel more trusted and valued, enjoy their remuneration which does not have to get spent on commuting to long-distance offices, can share the workload through different time zones in the day, place more value on teammates and receive all the incentives they deserve at the right time- an effect of increased profit.
Remote workers are 13 per cent more likely than on-site workers to stay in their current jobs for the next five years or longer.
“Employees who work from home have more control over their time, feel more trusted and revered, and luxuriate in their salary because they’re not required to commute to long-distance workplaces”.
Better Work-Life Balance
One quotation that makes employees want to quit their jobs and start their own firm, which seems like achieving their ambitions, is “A pay-check is the bribe you get for choosing not to pursue your dreams.”
Working remotely allows you to make a paycheck while working for a business and pursuing your passions at the same time, dear employee. Working from home allows you to spend more time with your family while still being able to attend work on a daily basis.
With remote employment, a father no longer has to miss his son’s basketball game due to a long work day, and a mother no longer has to miss her daughter’s eighteenth birthday due to an important business trip. Remote work engenders profitability and happiness, a clear win-win situation.
“Working remotely, dear employee, allows you to earn a paycheck while working for an organisation and pursuing your dream at an equivalent time“.
Remote Work and The Nigerian Transport Dilemma
Nigerians who don’t own cars understand that jumping from shuttle to shuttle while trying to make your way to work every morning is enough reason to have a bad day.
Chances are that, when you finally make it to the office after surviving the many dramas that come with public transportation, you are already demotivated and not as productive as you ought to be.
Like this wasn’t enough, there is now the trouble of a galloping cost of transportation. It is funny how the cost of public transportation is almost equivalent to half your paycheck at the end of the month.
But these can be averted simply by changing work structures that enable employees conveniently sit in their primary location, yet deliver as much work as they’d normally do in the office – Remote Working
Conclusion
The benefits of working remotely far outweigh its disadvantages. The prevalence of the internet and breakthroughs in communication technology have added to the advantages of remote work.
Every business in the 21st century is beginning to not only go digital but work remotely. Remote work is no longer a pipe dream; it is now a reality that we must accept.
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