Amid the situation generated by COVID-19 and the need for social isolation, many companies have opted to send their employees to telework to avoid the possible spread of the virus within their offices.
Teleworking should be seen as a win-win relationship for employers and workers, especially under current labor market circumstances, to keep each business afloat and avoid payroll cuts.
Although not all companies can cover the costs associated with the increased consumption of electricity or the Internet connection for their employees, the truth is that the savings that those who telework can receive are much higher.
These are the 10 greatest advantages that workers can obtain when working from home:
- Greater reconciliation between personal and work: This is one of the main aspects that make telework a factor of emotional salary, since it allows workers a greater space for personal projects or to attend to family needs.
- According to a study carried out in 2019 in the United States by the firm Virtual Vocations, about half of Millennials indicated an interest in staying at home to take care of children or older adults in their families.
- Savings: By not having to travel to workplaces, significant reductions in fuel costs, vehicle maintenance, parking lots, or public transport tickets are generated. There are also savings in terms of the cost of food and clothing.
- Better distribution of time: That same report from the International Center for the Development of Telework determined that teleworking would avoid up to 60 hours per month of commuting for employees. This time can be better used in other productive activities, rest, recreation, and family ties.
- Stress reduction: Although teleworking does not eliminate the pressure of work teams to deliver their tasks and achieve metrics, the possibility of working from the comfort of home, with a controlled environment, allows better management of stress and frustration.
- On average, those who have the ability to work some days of the week remotely are 29% happier than on-site workers, according to an Owl Labs study conducted last year.
- Greater efficiency: Although productivity is one of the greatest concerns of managers when implementing telecommuting, this survey by Owl Labs in the United States revealed that 8 out of 10 workers who work remotely achieve a greater concentration on their tasks.
- Time flexibility: Most teleworking models allow employees to manage work and rest times better. To achieve this, companies must change the mentality of face-to-faceism and migrate towards a work for objectives.
- Impact on health: Avoiding the stress of traffic on the roads, commuting to work sites, the opportunities to include exercise in the daily routine, and consuming more food prepared at home represent a significant contribution to the physical health and mental health of the collaborators.
- Appropriation of new technologies: Those who telework must incorporate virtual communication platforms, tools for accessing virtual desktops or in the Cloud, as well as other applications to maintain productivity and follow-up of processes. This encourages workers of all age groups to stay up-to-date in the use of technological resources, which in turn provides a competitive advantage for their resumes.
- Reduction of the carbon footprint: According to the data compiled in the book “Beyond Telework: A new flexible way of working,” published by the Spanish foundation Más Familia, with one day of teleworking a week, a reduction of 166,421 would be achieved tons of CO2 per year, equivalent to 168,085 tons of greenhouse gases per year.
- Greater inclusion: Teleworking can break down the barriers that make it difficult for people with disabilities to access employment, giving them the opportunity to be economically active.