The traditional 9-to-5 workday is on its way out, and this is largely due to the increasing ability of working professionals to work from home—or even from exotic locations around the globe. Technology has facilitated a significant transition in how people work, and it’s simply not necessary for members of the same team to meet in one office or even live in the same city to effectively complete their daily tasks. Employees can log in to secure servers to work as they would in an office, but they are able to do so from anywhere with an internet connection.
As more of the workforce has transitioned to remote work outside of traditional offices, both employees and businesses have seen the distinctive benefits of remote work arrangements. This trend only continues to grow, and it is with good reason. Flexibility in how, when, and where employees do their work increases employee happiness, which in turn drives up productivity.
Remote work is in-demand.
Salary is only one consideration that potential employees make when seeking new jobs. They also look to conditions that will encourage a more favorable work-life balance, and the ability to work remotely is viewed as very favorable in this regard. One study conducted in 2015 showed that 68% of college graduates would view a job more positively if it offered the ability to work remotely. More so than a casual dress code, pet-friendly office, or free snacks and drinks provided in the workplace, working remotely has a strong draw for employees.
Companies are keeping up with the trend.
Remote work isn’t just for freelancers and part-time workers. It has become a part of many major organizations to the point where 43% of employed Americans said that they spent at least some of their time working remotely in 2016. This number is a sharp increase from previous years, and it also coincides with an increase in the time spent working offsite. More people are working remotely, and they are doing so for longer periods than ever before. Companies that allow employees to work remotely report that workers are more productive. In addition, there is strong evidence that allowing employees to choose their own schedules and work from home can close the gender gap, since women tend to have a disproportionate responsibility in caregiving that limits availability for 9-to-5 positions.
Not every industry is cut out for remote work.
Though many industries have embraced the remote work lifestyle, there are still some that have not shifted in this direction. These include community and social services, science, engineering and architecture, and education and training. In each of these fields, work benefits from a human presence, and specialized environments, such as laboratory facilities, may be a necessity for the workday. In these situations, working remotely is simply not as feasible. Industries that have been the quickest to expand into remote work are finance, insurance, and real estate.
New industries have developed in the remote working landscape.
With the rise of remote work, there have been new companies that have been designed to cater uniquely to the needs of remote workers. Co-working spaces with flexible use offices and conference rooms have become more abundant domestically, and resort-style communities specifically serving working individuals have popped up in some of the most premier travel destinations in the world. This has allowed a new type of remote employee to emerge. Rather than working from home, modern remote employees are traveling around the globe with uniquely nomadic lifestyles. Along with physical locations dedicated to remote workers, chat software, such as Slack, has been developed to create more consistent, team-focused communication among remote teams.
Remote workers are becoming more engaged with their unorthodox work environments.
It may seem like having the ability to work from home or trying to get work completed while traveling would drive down productivity, but the opposite turns out to be true. For individuals in creative jobs like writing, the flexibility in choosing where to work and when can be critical to working through creative road blocks that might severely limit production in a traditional work environment. Even for those outside of a creative industry, working remotely eliminates the frustration of the workday commute, so each day starts on a more positive note. Without morning stress getting to work, it may be easier to dive into a busy workload and complete much more by lunch than you would in a conventional office.
At Pennington Creative, the ability to work remotely has always been part of our style. By adopting a remote-friendly policy, we have been able to hire the most talented writers and designers across the nation, rather than limiting our talent pool locally. To see the difference that a happy, remote staff can provide, partner with Pennington for your content marketing needs.
