How Does It Work?
Introduction
Remote work is on the rise, it is now the growing ideal setup for both companies and employees alike due to the COVID-19 epidemic. While having the ability to work from outside of a corporate office has been feasible for a few decades, working remotely is only now becoming mainstream. So now let us educate ourselves; what is remote working specifically, why are more people leaning towards it and what kind of benefits does it bring to both the company and the employee?
What is remote working?
Remote working is a style that enables employees to work outside of the contemporary office environment, such as an office cubicle in a building. Remote work allows people to be in places such as their homes, café shops, hotels or even the beach and be able to work for their companies. According to a report by the Ministry Of Manpower, almost 50% of Singaporean employees has worked from home before. With this in mind, it is evident that working from home brings a lot of benefits if it has influenced almost half of Singapore’s workforce
Benefits of remote work
- Flexible Lifestyle – When they aren’t required to be in an office during a set time frame, remote employees can focus on the things that matter to them outside of the office. If a remote worker is also a parent, he or she has the ability take care of their children’s needs better whilst multitasking work. He or she can also utilize that time to prioritize personal tasks such as going to a doctor’s appointment.
- Better Health and Wellness – Remote, flexible workers tend to be happier and more loyal employees, in part because working from home has been shown to lower stress, provide more time for hobbies and interests, and improve personal relationships, among other things.
- Expenditure Savings – This affects both the company and the employee, as companies need to spend less on electricity bills, rent, office furniture, etc. Whilst employees will spend less on travelling costs and, if necessary, car gas and maintenance fees.
- Higher Productivity – One of the most touted arguments for remote work is the increased productivity that comes with its flexibility. Remote work usually leads to fewer interruptions, less office politics, a quieter noise level, and more efficient meetings. Factor in the lack of a commute, and remote workers typically have more time and fewer distractions, which leads to increased productivity, a massive benefit of working from home for both employees and employers alike.
Summary
As technology continues to advance, remote work is becoming more common in a multitude of industries. From those that you would expect (tech, freelancing, etc.) to those that are a bit more surprising (education, healthcare, law), remote jobs can be found in nearly any industry. If you’re looking for a job, there has never been a better time to research your options.