Remote work has been gaining momentum in the past two years. Both employees and employers have tracked its evolution since then. However, it remains uncommon for some companies even now. Remote work has changed dramatically after the pandemic forced many individuals and businesses to work primarily from home or to change their work model entirely. The conversation about remote work has definitely shifted.

Why don’t we take a closer look at how much remote work has evolved during the pandemic?

Most remote employees are recommending it to others

Many remote employees are genuinely pleased with their working situation and consider it a privilege that others should have too. Remote workers say they would recommend this work model to their former colleagues and friends.

Employers should then begin planning long-term strategies for remote employee onboarding, development, and career advancement. While “winging it” was a viable strategy during the pandemic, business leaders must develop viable plans for a more distant future. If remote work was the companies’ temporary strategy, employees may resign if they are suddenly called back to report for work at the office. And if the companies cannot offer remote work positions, there are plenty of other companies that can.

At Genashtim, remote work is the absolute work model employed since the beginning of its establishment. The business was built around a culture of having a fully distributed remote team comprising employees from different countries with different time zones to provide services to many customers around the world. Genashtim continues to scale new heights each year even amid the pandemic.

If you’re a remote worker who would like to recommend remote work to your friends or former colleagues, encourage them to sign up at JEDI Jobs and check out remote job opportunities from global companies.

Remote work does not ignore burnout

Burnout is one of the most serious issues in the workplace. You might think that with the increased flexibility of remote work, this would be a non-issue. However, some remote employees are experiencing burnout because of not setting boundaries properly.

Although working from home alleviates stressors, such as commuting and a rigid or hectic work schedule, there are still some issues to address, such as meeting deadlines, being fully productive, and getting promoted. And since no one tells you when to punch out or go home when working remotely, the risk of burnout may increase.

Despite its benefits, remote work does not counter burnout so you should find ways to de-stress and tune out at the end of the workday.

To prevent employee burnout, Genashtim has the “Take Some Policy” which allows employees to take time off as needed. This policy highlights the company’s trust in their employees’ abilities to manage their time off effectively. This is a clear demonstration of Genashtim’s concern about their employees’ physical and mental health.

Remote work improves employee loyalty

The most common question about remote work is whether remote employees are loyal to their companies. While the results aren’t conclusive, one thing for sure is that employees will be more loyal to their employers if they are offered flexible work hours. Remote work provides an excellent way to reduce turnover while attracting new talents in an age when hiring costs are rapidly rising and retention of talents is more important than ever.

It may not be the wisest move to default to only one work option, whether hybrid or remote-only, based on what makes the most financial sense. If companies want to engage their employees and earn their loyalty, it is best to survey your workforce to find out what works for your specific company rather than deciding on one approach blindly.

Remote work is beneficial to the environment

The majority of Genashtim’s employees are Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), and the only way they feel comfortable working is through remote work as it eliminates their difficulty in commuting to and from the office. They can access work from their respective homes while also ensuring they can contribute their best efforts to the company.

Aside from the time spent traveling to work, commuting emits a significant amount of CO2, particularly if you use a private vehicle such as a car or motorcycle. One of the few positive aspects of the pandemic was the opportunity to test the environmental effects of remote work.

Pollution can be decreased by up to 80% when working from home compared to working on-site in a physical office. Remote employees also help the environment by using less paper and thus producing less waste. Remote work is one of the simplest ways to get started if you truly care about the environment and want to build your brand as an eco-friendly company.

Remote Employees take less sick leave

Most employers would be relieved to learn that their employees will be taking fewer sick days when they work from home. You’d think this is due to the flexible work arrangements—they won’t “fake” illness just to get out of the office. However, this is not the case. Some employees will not take a sick day “just” because they have a runny nose or a cough, so they work despite being sick. This is called “presenteeism.”

While it sounds like it’s good for the company, it’s actually the opposite. The takeaway is that remote companies need proper sick leave policies. Leaders also need to stress that if an employee is not feeling well, their work will not benefit anyone so it’s best to take a day off and just get better, instead of forcing themselves to work when sick. Business owners and managers should lead by example. If you are not feeling well, take some time off rather than forcing yourself to get work done.

Remote employees work longer hours

According to a study published in Nature Human Behavior, remote employees work 10% longer than their office counterparts, or about 4 hours more per week or a total of 16 hours per month. As a result, employers may believe they are getting the better end of the deal. Having said that, every study on the subject comes to the same conclusion: remote workers often work longer hours, even on weekends. It’s not a good thing because it leads to more stress, exhaustion, and burnout.

As mentioned above, it is important to set clear boundaries in your work to avoid burnout. Notifications and emails should be muted once the workday is completed. When there is no set time for beginning and ending a workday, it is easy to take “just another 5 minutes.” This extra 5 minutes quickly becomes 30 minutes, then an hour, and so on. You’ll soon realize what this means.

Wrapping up

Remote work is here to stay. With each passing year, remote work proves that it is beneficial to both employers and employees. While it is still too early to tell what the long-term effects of remote work will be on the global workforce, some data suggests that if you haven’t already gone remote for the foreseeable future, now is a great time to start.

Employers can conduct regular employee surveys to check if everything is running smoothly. This would provide crucial data on which aspects of the remote-work policy have been successful, and which need to be improved further.

If you want to transition to remote work, check and sign up at JEDI Jobs. It is an online remote job portal with a list of global companies that offer remote work positions. Register with JEDI Jobs now and be a part of the global remote workforce.

JEDI Jobs is an initiative of Genashtim, a 100% remote for-profit social enterprise with extensive knowledge and experience in managing remote work which was proven to withstand adverse conditions, such as the recent pandemic.