To office or not to office? 5 valuable lessons we’ve learned while working from home

Before the pandemic, roughly 5% of full-time employees with office jobs worked primarily from home. In the new normal, that figure is likely to settle between 20-30%.

Has the pandemic transformed the way we work forever? It’s too soon to tell. What we know for sure is that we’ve learned a lot from working from home in the last 16 months.

Here are the five key lessons we’ve learned about remote work.

1. Virtual meetings are for everyone

There’s no rocket science to using a video conferencing platform, as they’re easy to set up and use. If you can set up a phone conference, then using video conferencing for a meeting is a piece of cake.

Let’s not forget that virtual meetings come with several pros. They’re one of the most cost-effective and time-efficient methods of communication for businesses.

2. We can spend less (or no) time commuting

According to TUC, the total average UK commute takes up to 58 minutes per day. Now let’s do the maths. That’s 1160 minutes a month, which means you can spend up to 19 hours a month commuting.

Remote work has reminded us that time is precious. We don’t have to waste an hour a day getting to work. Instead, we could get some extra sleep in the morning, spend more time with family, or simply have spare time for ourselves.

3. Remote work is environmentally friendly

Numbers speak louder than words. Even before the pandemic, the 3.9 million employees who worked half the week from home reduced greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of taking more than 600,000 cars off the road for an entire year.

By embracing remote work as the new normal, we’re reducing greenhouse gas emissions, our consumption of fossil fuels, plastics, paper, and we’re contributing towards a sustainable future.

4. Remote work saves companies money

Office spaces come with lots of expenses. You need to rent or buy office space, pay for electricity, water, and internet. This quickly adds up.

It goes without saying that remote work can save companies money on costs associated with on-site business operations, like office space, equipment, and travel reimbursement.

5. In the end, working from home does work

Are you still wondering whether we’ll see more people working outside of the office? Bear in mind that with technology becoming more advanced, we can be just as effective, if not more so, than the traditional working model.

The benefits of remote work are wide-reaching. It’s time for us to embrace the new world of work and consider the benefits of working remotely for both employers and employers.

We can support you with your transition to a fully remote working setup