Influenced by factors like Gen Z entering the workforce and technology enabling more flexibility, more and more Americans are working remotely at least 50% of the time.  According to one 2019 study, 3.4% of the total US workforce are remote workers, up from 2.9% in 2015. 

This amounts to 4.7 million Americans working remotely in 2019 – 800,000 more compared to 2015.

This is impressive growth, but with 80%-90% of American workers indicating they would also like to work remotely, this trend will likely continue.  34% of workers even say they would accept a pay cut to primarily work remote. 

Top 5 Employee Benefits of Working Remotely

1. Increased productivity
   • With less distractions compared to an office environment, workers get more done.
   • Surveyed workers prefer evaluations based on productivity, not their physical presence in an office.
2. Saved time
   • Instead of spending 1-3 hours commuting, remote workers have more time to exercise, cook, and spend more time with family
3. Saved money
   • Gasoline, tolls, childcare, and eating-out for lunch are a few areas workers save costs by working from home
4. Reduced stress
   • Remote workers report being 24% happier and more productive at their jobs.
   • Having more control over their work environment and schedule, and not having to commute, are factors that contribute to their reduced stress.
5. Better health
   • Remote workers get more sleep, have higher energy, and are less emotionally exhausted compared to office workers

Given trends, technology, and workforce desire, employers shouldn’t just allow remote work – they should encourage it!

Top 5 Employer Benefits for Having Remote Workers

1. Increased productivity (see above)
2. Increased employee retention
   • To both attract and retain employees, offering remote work is a key differentiating benefit.
   • 68% of young employees indicate that of every benefit that makes their work environment enjoyable, (IE a casual dress code, social activities, free snacks, etc), working from home is the most-important benefit to them.
   • One Indeed study found that roughly 30% of employees would consider looking for another job if their remote work benefit was revoked.
3. Increased diversity and a larger hiring pool for recruiting talent
   • With a remote work option, employers can offer more flexibility to professionals with disabilities, moms, single parents, and the elderly.
4. Reduced absenteeism
   • If a worker is a little sick but can still function, instead of opting for a sick day to avoid infecting colleagues at the office, they are more likely to tough-it-out and get their work done in the comfort of their own home-office.
5. Reduced costs
   • Employers can either downsize or eliminate office space altogether. Cost savings from leases can be redirected to team building activities like monthly meetups, nice quarterly or annual meetings, or even higher employee salaries.

Key Takeaway

The luxury of working remotely isn’t available for every occupation.  But for many professionals in customer service, sales, finance, computer science, and certain types of engineering, remote work is increasingly becoming not just a possibility, but an expectation.

If your role can be done remotely, it’s worthwhile to discuss options with your supervisor – particularly if you’ve had decent tenure with your organization. If they’re reluctant, proposing a trial period could prove successful.

To explore remote work opportunities, connecting with a recruiter or headhunter, and visiting sites like FlexJobs.com and LinkedIn are great places to start.

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