Over the past few years, telecommuting’s popularity has soared. With technological advances and changing social and working structures, this makes sense! In this article, we’ll cover 7 benefits of telecommuting, and offer some ways you can stay better connected with your team.
What is telecommuting?
Telecommuting is another word for remote working, or working from home using online technology. Workers will usually use things such as phones, laptops, and a virtual call center to carry out their role, and stay in touch with their team.
7 benefits of telecommuting
In this section we’ll cover the top 7 benefits of telecommuting for both the employer and the employee.
1. Good work-life balance
One of the main benefits of telecommuting for the employee is a better work-life balance. Instead of spending hours each day (thousands of hours over a working year) commuting to and from an office, employees can instead spend that time with their families, sleep more, or enjoy meals at home.
They also spend less money on things like transport and food and drink as a result: consider the cost of a home brew compared to a Starbucks!
Such savings of both time and money are obviously very beneficial, and a happier employee in turn benefits their company.
Image provided by Pew Research Center
2.Dedicated workers
With less stress due to a better work-life balance, and plenty of time and money saved, the telecommuting worker tends to be a satisfied worker. And employees more satisfied in their working lives tend to be more dedicated to their company. Why would you leave if you’re happy, and have a nice, comfortable working arrangement?
With the general worldwide norm now more working from home, standards have shifted: telecommuting work is less an option, more an expectation. So to stay competitive and attract the best talent, you might want to offer telecommuting as an option.
3. Increased productivity
With fewer distractions at home compared to the busy office (remote workers often have a quieter environment at home, unlike open plan offices where interruptions from colleagues can be common), workers are more likely to remain focused.
What’s more, employees have the option to tailor their workspace to suit their exact needs, from lighting, to temperature, and even noise levels. Instead of bright overhead lights, they can enjoy natural sunlight. Instead of an open-plan office, they can have a private nook, and listen to the music they love.
By being more comfortable, workers can easily get into the flow of their enterprise architecture management work, for example, and focus. And lower stress levels from removing commuting can also positively impact productivity.
Telecommuting also means people can work during the hours they feel most productive—be that early in the morning or late at night. Instead of being forced to work 9-5, they can optimize their most productive hours. And the sense of autonomy and trust people can feel from their employers can motivate them to perform better and take ownership of their work.
4. Lower operational costs
Lower operational costs is yet another of the many benefits of telecommuting. For one thing, a reduced need for office space (and fewer employees in the office) means that companies can downsize their working environment. This means they can save on rent, utilities, and maintenance costs.
Utility expenses include electricity, heating, and air-conditioning—with workers at home, you can save on your monthly running costs. Your company can also cut spending on things like office supplies, furniture, and other equipment, since remote workers will often use their own resources. So you can save on things like paper, pens, and even coffee.
Offering the benefits of telecommuting can also lead not only to higher employee satisfaction, as we mention above, but also to higher retention rates. This means you can reduce the recruitment and training costs associated with higher turnover. It’s usually cheaper to keep an employee happy than hire a new one.
5. Access to larger talent pool
By allowing telecommuting, you also allow your company access to a broader talent pool. This greatly enhances your organization’s ability to not only find very skilled employees, but also retain them. The geographical flexibility of teleworking means that you aren’t limited to hiring people within your city and surrounding area.
This opens up doors to finding the most appropriate candidates, regardless of where they are based. Hiring from a wider geographical area also means that you can build a more diverse work team. You can much more easily include single parents, people who can’t afford to live in the city, people from different cultural backgrounds, and people with disabilities.
If you can bring in these varied perspectives and experiences, this will only enhance the creativity and problem-solving abilities of your team. It’s also a great way to hire people with more highly specialized skills that might otherwise be hard to find. Without a geographical restriction, you can hire people with niche skills who live across the world.
This also offers you a competitive advantage, since remote working options are pretty attractive, and you can stand out to the most talented individuals who might prefer telecommuting. Maybe the most talented person in a field is a wheelchair-user, and with telecommuting, you can use their talents.
6. Physical and mental health benefits
There are several health benefits of telecommuting, which of course is great for both the company and the employee. By eliminating the daily commute, which can be a big source of stress for a lot of people, you can expect some improved mental health and a sense of overall well-being. Not having to rush out the door at the crack of dawn and spend hours in traffic can only be beneficial.
Having more time available also means that mobile team members can take part in more physical activities (post-work basketball anyone?), and prepare healthy meals rather than stick to lunch trolly sandwiches. They can also more easily get their 5 fruit and veg a day, and burn calories exercising instead of sitting in their car.
Working from home can also reduce a person’s exposure to common illnesses like colds and the flu, which they can easily catch at the office or on the bus or train. This is especially useful during peak seasons, such as winter. Reducing a worker’s likelihood of developing an illness inevitably leads to fewer sick days and better overall health, which is great for your company.
The flexibility of telecommuting can also allow workers to better manage their personal responsibilities and mental health needs. In the latter case, they can get into a regular routine involving therapy or self-care practices (for example, meditation), which will lead to improved emotional well-being. And the increased autonomy of telecommuting can make people feel more empowered and lower their anxiety levels.
We’ve already mentioned being able to customize your workspace for better productivity, but it’s also great for making a more ergonomic space suitable to the specific individual’s body. Personalized ergonomic choices can reduce the risk of musculoskeletal problems that can be an aggravated issue in poorly designed office layouts.
7. Environmental benefits
The final, but certainly not least important benefit of telecommuting, is its positive impact on the environment. One of the most direct environmental benefits of telecommuting is how it reduces carbon emissions: fewer cars on the road means less air pollution and lower greenhouse gas emissions. A decrease in traffic congestion greatly improves air quality.
Telecommuting can also reduce energy use in commercial office buildings—fewer people in the office means less need for heating, cooling, and lighting. There can also be a reduction in the consumption of office supplies, paper, and other resources, meaning less waste.
The development and use of digital tools and tech can then further reduce the need for physical resources, promoting a more sustainable way of working.
How to stay connected with your team
Here are our top tips for staying in touch with your team while they work remotely.
1. Regular check-ins.
Schedule regular team meetings to help keep everyone on the same page and offer time and space for updates and talks.
2. Use collaboration tools.
Tools like RingCentral messaging and Microsoft Teams can aid real-time communication, project management, and file sharing, making collaboration easier.
3. Clear communication guidelines.
Develop guidelines for how and when team members should communicate, and which platforms they should use for different types of communication.
4. Social interaction.
Informal interactions, like virtual coffee breaks or team-building activities, are vital for fostering relationships and camaraderie.
5. Share updates and milestones.
Encourage everyone to regularly share their accomplishments and updates, so they feel connected and appreciated.
6. Video calls.
Whenever possible, use video calls rather than voice calls. Seeing each other face to face can strengthen connections and improve engagement.
7. Be flexible.
By recognizing and acknowledging that team members have different home environments and challenges, you can help foster a positive and supportive team dynamic.
8. Virtual workspaces.
Using virtual whiteboards or brainstorming tools for collaborative projects helps team members contribute ideas in real time.
Final thoughts
The benefits of telecommuting are many, both for the employee and the employer. What’s good for the former is also good for the latter. However, remote work is not without its challenges, which is why it’s so important to connect regularly and keep a flexible mindset. You’ll also need to use clear guidelines, the right technology, and the right products, such as a business phone number.
Originally published Aug 18, 2024, updated Aug 27, 2024
