Remote Work: Everyone is Talking About it, But is it Really Happening?

Remote work is on the rise. People aren’t just searching more for remote work; they actually prefer it. We would take a bet that 8 out of 10 folks will choose to work from home or wherever else they want.

Check out the google search volume for “Remote Work” in the past decade.

Remote work is also suitable for employers

When most people think of the benefits of remote work, they tend to equate them with the employees, not the employers. And there are certainly numerous advantages of telecommuting for your staff. But as it turns out, having a distributed workforce will greatly benefit you as the employer, too. At Tunga, we’ve experienced first-hand that remote workers are actually more productive than their counterparts.

And this is supported by the numbers. Hubstaff’s Dave Nevogt writes on his blog: “More companies are choosing remote work than ever before. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2015, 23 percent of workers reported doing at least some of their work remotely. And the New York Times reports that telecommuting increased 79 percent between 2005 and 2012.”

Reasons to consider remote work

Maybe you are skeptical or simply wondering why all the fuss around it. Well, here are some reasons why this working arrangement should be on your list of to-do for this year.

Flexibility: People thrive in environments where they are in charge of their own situation other than working on a fixed schedule. A parent who has children thrives best in this setting because he can run through tasks swiftly.

Remote workers are well connected: The prevalence of smartphones and social media means you don’t have to be next to someone to communicate effectively. Tools like Trello, Slack, and GitHub effectively aid in telecommunication, as many choose to call it.

Saving costs: Encouraging different ways of working allows companies to reduce their rent and property costs. No office premises, no commuting, no furniture.

New skills learned: Commuting can trap you in a cycle of boredom. It is the same drive every single day. Is there a skill or hobby you have always wanted to master? Maybe you have put it off because you get home late or feel tired. Without the commute, there are no more excuses. You get time to learn something new.

Weighing pros and cons

Yes, there are some disadvantages. But remote working is generally considered an opportunity for businesses to improve productivity. In addition, it allows you to attract the right skills and decrease costs. However, businesses that wish to implement remote working should be aware that it requires work in and of itself. And some time investment in setup, systems, and procedures. There are plenty of resources for this available on the internet. For instance, tools like Slack, Trello, and Github are all invaluable resources for remote teams. And Tunga is a platform that helps you build your own remote and flexible team of software developers. Try it out!