As we move further into an online world the opportunity for remote work has exploded. There are of course remote work challenges to be considered. Some of the obvious benefits of remote work are having more freedom over your time. And being able to enjoy more time with the family.
The benefits of remote work have become more known recently. And now people do not want to go back to the traditional office setting. When you are empowered and find you have autonomy over your work-life balance it is hard to go back.
The world has discovered that more jobs can be done online. This has changed everything. People are no longer needing to sit in traffic twice a day. People have more flexible time and free time to make the most of their lives.
If you are still not sure, here are a few statistics to help settle your mind.
Key remote statistics to know
Here are a few remote work key statistics to consider.
- “16% of companies in the world are 100% remote.” – This means that 16% of companies globally allow all of their employees to work from home full-time.
- “44% of companies don’t allow remote work.” – Some companies have found it more suitable for their business needs to have all of their employees back in the office. Some jobs are more conducive to having people on site.
- “Better work-life balance is the main reason why people choose to work remotely.
- 77% of remote workers say they’re more productive when working from home.
- The average annual income of remote workers is $4,000 higher than that of other workers. This is often due to the saving the company makes when no longer needing to run an office.
- “85% of managers believe that having teams with remote workers will become the new norm.” People have been resistant to going back to the office. The easier way to keep current employees is to allow this. The alternative is hiring a whole new workforce.
- “74% of workers say that having the option to work remotely would make them less likely to leave a company.” This is a two-way street, if the company keeps its employees happy then they are less likely to look for other work.
- “The three biggest challenges associated with remote work are unplugging after work (22%), loneliness (19%), and communication/collaboration (17%).” FindStack.com
Benefits of Remote Work
Stat #1 People no longer wanted to work in offices full-time
Most people have had the opportunity to experience working from home. It has become apparent that most jobs can easily be done away from an office.
In a blog for We Work Remotely: “According to an Ivanti survey presented in Forbes, 87% of respondents admitted that they don’t want to work in the office full-time. And a whopping 45% revealed that they’d be “happy to never step foot in an office again.”
With the use of technology, there are almost no boundaries between people connecting over the internet instead of face-to-face. This has in fact opened up the working world on a global level.
Now people are able to work for companies in another country. This helps companies to outsource work to countries with weaker economies. This can help boost poorer countries.
People with disabilities no longer need to worry about whether the office environment will be able to cater to their needs.
Stat #2 Better mental well-being
Better mental well-being comes from having less stress in our everyday lives. When there is no commute, no colleague politics, or uncomfortable workspace.
People working remotely has allowed them to spend more time with family. Now there is time to have breakfast before everyone starts their day.
There is time to water your garden, drive the kids around, or make supper. As long of course, that your work is done.
People feel they are in charge of their time and work schedule. It is empowering to feel autonomous in your everyday life.
“The number of people who work from home has risen by 159%“ Global Workplace Analytics.
Stat #3 Benefits for the environment
The most popular advantage is a reduction in emissions. There are fewer cars on the road and less public transport needed.
General office waste is reduced. There can be saving on office supplies, like paper.
As well as the use of electricity is reduced. Most people have natural lighting at home. Whereas office buildings need to have lights on the whole day.
Stat #4 Saving on costs for people and companies
There are the obvious cost savings of not having to commute. This means less wear and tear on cars. Of course, the huge saving on petrol. Or on paying for public transport.
Buying food for lunch is no longer a necessity. The need for workplace clothing is also a thing of the past.
Companies also save, they no longer need to rent an office space in some cases. That is a huge amount of money that can be used elsewhere. There might have been a cafeteria for staff which is no longer required.
There is a saving on office equipment. There might be an expense for laptops, but that is minimal in comparison to a whole office setup.
There is also a saving in people wasting time. There is no more office socializing, or smokers breaks.
Due to companies saving money the potential earnings for remote work have risen dramatically.
“Companies allowing remote work make an average profit of $2000 per remote worker” FindStack.com
Stat #5 Better work-life balance
This ties in with mental well-being but has a few separate aspects. Finding a work-life balance also means knowing when the work day is over. People all talk about the extra time they have when working remotely.
But there are cases when people work for too many hours. It really is the case of taking your work home with you.
This balance can be found in planning. By having a structured time plan for the week it is easy to prioritize tasks.
There should be a definite start time to the work day and a definite end time to the work day. Leave your home office and close the door.
The time we gain from not needing to commute should be used for personal gain. Of course, there is more leeway in terms of doing small personal errands during office hours. It should all be kept track of.
Stat #6 Increase in productivity
People working remotely can be more productive because once they are done for the day they have gained time.
If all of my tasks for the day are completed by lunchtime then I have the whole afternoon free.
People often feel more pressured to work harder when at home because they feel guilty. It is easy to assume that people think you are not working enough.
There are also no sick days. Most people will work when sick if they are at home.
“77% of those who work remotely at least a few times per month show increased productivity, with 30% doing more work in less time and 24% doing more work in the same period of time according to a survey by ConnectSolutions.” Surprising working from home productivity statistics 2022.
Stat #7 Remote work challenges
Sometimes communication can be tough. Communication skills need to be clear and concise so that everyone is on the same page.
People can overwork themselves so that they are at risk of burnout. It can be difficult to find a healthy stopping point each day for remote work. People often feel that if they can get one more task done that they will be on top of things. But then find that there is just another task waiting for them.
Earnings of remote work
- “US companies will save $500 B with remote work in the long-run”
This is due to the saving related to the upkeep of an office. The expense of running an office is often forgotten. Or overlooked as a necessity. It is only now that companies are realizing the waste it really is.
Now money can be put back into people. It can be through personal equipment, training, or a pay increase.
- “65% of remote workers consent to a 5% pay cut to continue working remotely”
The benefits outweigh the negatives so much that people are prepared to be paid less so that they can continue remote work.
There are countless positives to working from home that there isn’t a good enough reason to go back to the office.
- “Remote worker’s earnings exceed that of the on-site workers by $100,000″ Remote work from home statistics and trends for 2022
Because of the excess money being saved people working remotely have the opportunity to earn more. Some companies are also looking out for themselves to keep their employee turnover low.
Companies are finally able to pay people enough to keep quality and talented employees around.
Many people will also settle for a hybrid work environment. This is when they will need to spend one or two days in the office. While the rest of the week is spent working remotely.
This is often for managers to touch base with all employees in a certain department.
Remote work productivity statistics
- “Over 9 months found that working from home increase productivity by 13% ” Surprising work from home productivity statistics 2022.
- This is due to the fact that people have fewer distractions at home.
- People say they are more focused and driven to complete their work each day.
- People tend to be more comfortable at home and therefore are more at ease when completing tasks.
- People have reported finding working from home a less stressful environment.
- “Workers in a home environment report they are less distracted by co-workers, spending 30 minutes less talking about non-work topics, and spend 7% less time talking to management.” SWFHPS2022
Remote work recruiting and retention statistics
- “Over the past year, 42% of young hiring managers felt the recruiting and hiring process to be more difficult compared to 18% that find it easier.”
As people have been less willing to meet in person it has become more challenging to get a full picture of what they are like.
There are interviews done over the web. That being said, there is nothing more telling than a person sitting in front of you.
Social awkwardness can now be forgiven due to the fact that we are communicating virtually. This is all good and well until the person needs to communicate virtually with clients.
Some of the hiring processes have become tougher due to these limitations.
- “81% of employees agree that the flexibility to work remotely is a major benefit that increases their job loyalty.”
This shows trust in the company. It is great to feel like the company you work for trusts you. And that they believe you are capable of doing your job without supervision.
People are being told that they are worth the risk. Who doesn’t want to work for someone that thinks they are great at their job.
- “Depending on the type of role, employee turnover can cost up to five times or 30% of the position’s annual compensation.”
It is better for the company to keep its current employees. It is more expensive to replace them in the long run.
There is something to be said about paying for quality people.
- “1 in 2 people will not return to jobs that don’t offer remote work after COVID-19.”
The world was shown that we no longer needed to be in an office to work effectively. This was forced on many people who resisted at first. But now, the perks outweigh having to deal with an office environment.
- “Likewise, 1 in 2 people would move states for a job that offers remote work. 81% of people believe their job will support remote work after the pandemic.”
As the world develops it becomes smaller. We are able to do business online and over virtual calls. This has reduced the need for personal interactions.
Globally we are all moving to a more home-based learning and working environment.
- “If employees were no longer allowed to work from home after the pandemic, 66% would stay but be less happy.”
It all comes down to retaining current employees over hiring new ones. The time and cost are a drain on company resources.
- “54% would stay but be much less willing to go the extra mile.”
Not everyone wants to look for a new job. They would stay in their current job, but their performance would dwindle.
If companies allow employees to continue working from home they will be more willing to work harder to prove the right choice was made.
- “44% would expect a pay increase if their jobs no longer allowed them to work from home.”
Due to the demands on time and commuting, people would want to be compensated.
They would need to spend more on fuel again. Wear and tear on vehicles.
Lunch costs would need to be factored in. Having to apply for leave. Losing the convenience of having time to drive kids around or run personal errands would be taken away.
People would want to be compensated for the time they would be losing.
- “88% of people say health insurance is a critically important factor in deciding which job they will apply for.” 106 Remote stats every employer must know in 2022.
Benefits are important when applying for work. The world has changed and people are more aware of their health than ever before.
Key takeaways
Remote work is definitely on track to dominate the future. There of course will always be jobs that need people to physically be at work. These are generally team-based jobs or practical jobs.
It does seem like companies need to get more comfortable with the idea of allowing people to work from their homes, or coffee shops.
There is an element of trust that needs to be built so that everyone can feel safe with this decision.
Statistically, remote work is positive for businesses to thrive. People are happier working in their own space. And being able to shut the world out when they need to be productive.
Employees are able to sit back from the comfort of their homes and watch their employees work.
