Back in March of 2019 we published this blog about the trend toward remote working. Little did we know then that one year later we would be facing a global pandemic on a scale that hadn’t been seen in over a century.

The number of Covid-19 cases is once again steadily rising throughout the world, with the United States alone surpassing ten million cases recently. As a result, it’s likely that tighter restrictions will once again be put into place. This means smaller gatherings, less capacity in retail stores and restaurants, potential school closings, and more people working from home.

The Statistics

The coronavirus pandemic has forced thousands of employers to reconsider how their employees get their work done and the impact it has on their bottom line. Not surprisingly, statistics show that not only are remote employees overall more productive and happier (despite the circumstances surrounding the transition to working from home), it typically saves businesses a significant amount of money. Maintaining brick and mortar buildings with utilities, taxes, food, and cleaning services are draining on a company’s financial resources. In fact, this 2020 study from Global Workplace Analytics notes that nearly six out of ten employers reported cost savings as a significant benefit to allowing employees to work remotely.

Some other major advantages of remote work noted in the study include the following:

-Increased employee satisfaction

-Reduced attrition

-Increased productivity

-Reduced absenteeism

-Larger talent pool to draw from

-Ensured business continuity in case of a disaster or emergency

-Reduction in traffic and stress on infrastructure

Another study done by getabstract noted that a majority of American workers want to maintain some kind of remote work once the Covid crisis is under control. And no wonder. Employees not only enjoy the benefits of a better work/life balance when working remotely, it saves them money too! The costs of car maintenance, gas, lunches, and childcare are all drastically reduced when employees aren’t commuting into the office five days a week. 

As we head into the coldest months of the year and the cases of Covid continue to increase, more and more employees will continue to work from home or will be making the transition for the first time. Although unusual circumstances have prompted this shift, it may eventually become the norm for many American companies. After studying eight months of available data on the pros and cons of remote employment, more businesses may be making the change permanently in the months and years to come.