Remote working has seen slow but progressive growth in the past twenty years. However, there was a drastic increase in the first half of 2021 as about 60% of UK workers worked from home. The pandemic forced most companies to allow remote work as a result of the social distance requirements and lockdowns. Managers who had previously been reluctant to allow remote working had an opportunity to experience remote or hybrid workplace models. About 71% of the managers reported an increase in the productivity of their workers.
But how exactly does remote working increase productivity?
Improved Work-life Balance
Remote working or the hybrid workplace model, which combines in-person and remote working models, offers a better work-life balance. Employees working remotely or in a hybrid model are able to attend to their personal needs and still complete job assignments. A good work-life balance improves the employee’s morale and satisfaction. Research shows that employee satisfaction increases productivity by 12%, and unhappy employees are 10% less productive.
The dynamics of home office ergonomic furniture such as an active seating office chair helps the remote worker to remain physically active when working remotely. The opportunity to exercise during working hours offers a good work-life balance, which enhances productivity.
Reduces Absenteeism
Absenteeism lowers the productivity of a worker, since working hours are lost when the worker is not at their workstation. Workers fail to report to their workstation to attend to emergencies or other personal commitments. By the time they are through with their commitments, it is usually too late to make it to the office.
However, remote working allows a worker to attend to their personal needs and still spare time for work. Remote working also provides flexibility by allowing the worker to choose when to work on specific assignments. The worker can, therefore, attend to the emergency during the day and complete work assignments at night. In essence, the worker cannot be considered absent from work as they are able to complete their assignments.
Reduces Time Wastage
A lot of time is wasted on the road as workers get to their offices. However, remote workers do not travel to their workstations and can easily shift from one activity to the other. Remote working, therefore, enhances efficiency as workers can seamlessly transition to different tasks without commuting. Increased efficiency makes the workers more productive.
Choices and Preferences
Some workers prefer formal working setups, while others are better off in informal setups. Workers who prefer the informal setups may not enjoy working in the office and might be less productive. However, their productivity is greatly improved when they are allowed to work from home.
A hybrid workplace model would be ideal where workers have different preferences. Those who are productive in the office should be allowed to work in the office, while workers who prefer working in an informal setup should be allowed to work remotely.
Convenience
Some components of a job design are better done remotely. Fieldwork and research workers, for instance, may not be productive if you confine them to an office. However, allowing the workers to work remotely provides them with the convenience needed to perform their duties. Workers whose assignments are conveniently handled in the field may increase their productivity when working remotely.
Helps to Tap Talents
You can tap the right talent when you incorporate remote working into your workplace model. Since workers are not required to travel to your physical office, they have no geographical limitations. You can, therefore, get the best talent regardless of their location. Attracting the right talent increases the productivity of your workers.
Reduces Staff-turnover
Staff turnover is the rate at which workers join and leave your business. You need to reduce the turnover rate since your business utilizes resources to train new employees. Training also takes time before the employee reaches their optimal productivity levels. Some of the reasons that make employees leave their employment include job dissatisfaction and loss of morale. Remote working improves morale and job satisfaction, leading to greater staff retention.
Furniture and Remote Office Setup
The productivity of remote workers is affected by their workstation setup, especially the furniture. Workers who use ergonomic furniture have similar or even higher productivity, depending on their commitment to their work. An ergonomic office chair helps the remote worker to increase productivity by enhancing comfort at the workstation. Using the wrong furniture reduces the productivity of a worker who would have been more productive in a remote setup.
How FlexiSpot Can Help
Remote work holds the future of most businesses, as managers have realized an increase in productivity in remote workers. At FlexiSpot, we appreciate the need for remote workers to use ergonomic furniture to enhance and sustain their productivity. We, therefore, provide a variety of ergonomic furniture to meet the needs of all remote workers. Contact us today at +44 204 5187 138 to place an order.
