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Why Do People Prefer Working From Home Amid Office Return?
Workspace in the new normal. The pandemic had brought the world to devise alternative ways to work without so much physical proximity. COVID-19 has a major role in forcing industries all over the world to cope with sending their employees to their residential real estate to complete their work virtually. Remote work has suddenly gotten a facelift.
Work from home is generally defined as work being done remotely – may it be inside a coffee shop, in shopping centers, or sharing space in a commercial real estate, instead of working in an office building.
Surprisingly, however, even after everything gradually comes back to normal, a high percentage of the country’s workforce remains inclined to work from home despite vaccine rollouts and business reopening.
For many, this has meant a shift to remote work. In fact, according to recent statistics, more than half of Filipino workers have been working from home for years now, and roughly half still prefer to stay remote, especially in digitally-inclined fields like software and media, even with the easing of restrictions.
Working from home is tempting for a variety of reasons. For one, it eliminates the need for costly commuting expenses. Additionally, it offers greater flexibility when it comes to scheduling and gives workers the opportunity to create a better work-life balance.
And while there are some challenges that come with working from home, such as loneliness and distractions, overall, it seems that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. As more and more businesses continue to embrace remote work, it seems likely that the trend will continue well into the future.
If you are on a hunt for a job, be it in residential real estate or in a commercial real estate, whether you and your colleagues are real estate professionals in a real estate industry or global services, we have pooled several reasons why employees plump for remote work in the comfort of their single family homes, apartment, or condominium for sale, in midst of office return and a few possible snags you might need to know before you get into the workspace. Let’s get going.
Benefits of Working From Home
Being around for years now, the work-from-home has become one of the key assets of many businesses to continue their operations and withdraw from their office buildings. As a result, many companies are becoming more comfortable making more money with remote working while also contributing to economic growth.
There has been a growing trend of employees working remotely. This trend is driven by a number of factors, including the increasing accessibility of technology, the rising cost of living in major cities, and the desire for a better work-life balance.
For employers, remote work has a number of advantages, including reduced overhead costs, increased productivity, and improved morale. And for employees, remote work offers greater flexibility, independence, and work-life balance. It is obvious that remote work will continue to be popular in today’s increasingly competitive and international market.
1. Remote workers can work anywhere
One of the greatest boons of work-from-home setup is having access to wide-ranging job opportunities that are not restricted by geographic location. This can be especially favorable to job hunters living in rural communities or small towns where job opportunities and local positions are scarce.
Positions that necessitate living in a city with a high cost of living can be considerably avoided because to geographic independence. With remote employment, you can continue to pursue the career you love without having to move into a real estate property or own an undeveloped land close to a city.
For years, people have been flocking to cities in search of opportunity. But as the cost of living in urban areas continues to rise, more and more people are rethinking their strategy. Thanks to the internet, it’s now possible to have a successful career without ever setting foot in a major city. This phenomenon, known as location independence, is becoming increasingly popular as the costs of living in cities continue to increase.
With location independence, you can work from anywhere in the world, whether that’s a small town in the middle of nowhere or a major city with a high cost of living. And thanks to remote work technology, you can even work from home if you prefer. So if you’re tired of dealing with the high cost of living in cities, consider pursuing a location-independent career. It could be just the thing you need to live the life you want.
2. Fewer Carbon Footprints
According to a survey on mobility conducted last June 2022, 29% of commuters in the Philippines spent an average of 15 to 29 minutes daily when commuting to work or school. At the same time, 26% spoke about having to spend 30 to 59 minutes commuting daily.
Reducing commuter travel with remote works is one of the fastest ways for employers and employees to reduce carbon footprints and affect climate change. With fewer employees commuting to and from work, fewer cars on the road and less traffic congestion. This, in turn, will lead to less pollution and a smaller carbon footprint.
Moreover, working remotely can also help to reduce the need for office space, leading to even further reductions in carbon emissions. In a time when climate change is a pressing concern, any effort to reduce our collective carbon footprint is worth undertaking. Therefore, employers and employees alike should consider the many benefits of remote work.
Suggested Read: Why Remote Work Should be Normalized
Suggested Read: Sustainable Living Tips for an Eco-Friendly Home
3. Less Commute Stress
One of the many bad things about on-site work is having to spend time commuting. Study shows that longer commutes are linked to a higher level of stress and anxiety, as well as some health problems, such as:
- High blood
- High cholesterol
- Increased risk of depression
Getting rid of the commute is good for your mental and physical health and gives you more time to do other things outside of work that are important to you, like spending more time with your family, sleeping an extra hour in the morning, or eating a healthy breakfast.
4. Better Work Life Balance
Most jobs that may be done from home have flexible hours. This means that employees can start and end their day whenever they want, as long as they get their work done and finish it, which leads to good results. This kind of control over your work schedule can be very helpful, especially when it comes to taking care of your personal needs.
Whether it is spending lunch with your family, running an errand for your personal property, dropping your kids off at school, or being in their house for a contractor, these tasks are easier to balance when working from home.
5. Increased Performance and Productivity
When done right, a work-from-home setup allows workers and employers alike to focus on what really matters – performance. Remote work usually leads to hardly any interruptions, fewer (or more) efficient meetings, fewer office politics, and a quieter noise level.
And since remote jobs usually have more time and fewer distractions, it indicates a higher prospect of productive working – a crucial benefit of remote work for both the employers and the employees.
Potential Drawbacks of Remote Work
Getting the right balance between life and work is one of the hardest things about working from home. It’s simple to get caught up in work and forget to take breaks or spend time with family and friends. Also, people can sometimes feel alone and isolated when they work from home. If you don’t talk to your coworkers often, it can be hard to stay motivated and interested at work.
Lastly, it can be hard to stop thinking about work at the end of the day when you work from home. When your office is in your residence, it can be enticing to keep working even when you’re supposed to stop.
But it’s essential to understand your limits and make sure you give yourself time every day. With a little work, you can get past the problems that come with working from home and enjoy all of its benefits.
1. Obscure Boundary between ‘Work’ hours and ‘Life’ hours
One of the downsides of remote jobs is the difficulty of separating work and life. The boundaries between your job and personal life can become blurred when you work from home. Self-evidently, when your new job expands and blends into your free time, it can throw off your work-life balance and increase the potential for burnout.
2. Isolation and Disconnection from Co-workers
Loneliness and teamwork challenges were the biggest difficulty for remote workers. People working from home may feel disconnected from colleagues and the organization that an office environment normally allows. The good news is that you were not nearly as restricted as you were during the early days of lockdown, so you can always stave off and counter the impact of isolation.
3. Losing the Speed and Spark
Interactions in the office environment often generate the most creative ideas and problem-solving. Working in their houses can diminish productivity in collaboration. You may lose the creative juices and pace that come with teamwork and in-person collaboration.
Suggested Read: The Cost, Benefits, and Tips of Remote Working
Suggested Read: Work From Home Productivity Tips
In Conclusion
Though the pandemic may have spurred more work-from-home setup and reshaped the way workspace works for many millions of employees around the world, it is far from being the only reason why people choose to work remotely.
The pandemic has given employers who may not have otherwise considered working at the comfort of their houses an option to keep their business up and running. In fact, the benefits of working from home have an effect on a lot of things around the world, and this is likely to become the new way of doing things.