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BENEFITS OF WORKING FROM HOME

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Since the coronavirus pandemic has created a lot of fear and havoc in our lives, could there be a glimmer of hope somewhere? There sure is and it’s right where you live – your home! If you are a working employee who is doing his job right from the humble abode of the cozy bedroom, there are benefits galore. Let’s be realistic – this pandemic is going to stay at least for the foreseeable future and as long as it is there, there’s going to be plenty work from home opportunities for working class employees. Let’s take a look at some of the benefits and perks you get while working right from your home.

1. More flexibility: Getting up and getting rushed for work is something nobody likes and you’ll have plenty of memories (especially bad ones) when you’re already running late for work and skipping that important breakfast meal to make it to your office just in time. But not anymore! Since the break of the pandemic, many companies have asked their employees not to return to the office and instead work directly from home. Which means that you get to sleep as late as possible and wake up just in time for that morning Zoom call. 

What’s more? You have immense flexibility going about doing your daily chores that may not necessarily involve any official duties – such as going to the grocers, tending to your kids, baking more frequently and taking unlimited breaks between work. The flexibility that you get while working from home is truly unmatched.

2) No commute: I don’t think any employee really likes the entire commuting process. What with the never-ending traffic, the jams, the incessant car honking and the rowdy road users. They always seem to zap the energy out of you even before you happen to make it to work. But say goodbye to these woes, as now you sit comfortably on the couch and make work happen.

It has been reported that an average employee spends at least 52 minutes to and fro in terms of commuting to work. This means that you end up saving at least four and a half hours on commuting time that you can now dedicate somewhere else (think: more sleep!) But in all honesty, working from home is a boon especially for mothers who have small kids to take care and can devote more time to bonding with them. The rest of us can use this extra time for more productive work such as learning a new language, setting up a side business or whatever that your heart desires.

3) Boost in productivity: There are people who always say that working from home isn’t a good option because that means giving a lot of leeway to your employees who will then squander the office time. But this isn’t true. According to studies conducted, employees were found to be 13% more productive working at home than at the office. This isn’t just an isolated report and the reason being could be that employees feel far more comfortable in their homely surroundings and therefore able to provide far more output than in the office environs. 

Sometimes people get easily distracted in their office cubicles with random colleague making a stop and gossiping about others, while spending unnecessary time at the coffee table drinking that extra cup to stay focused. At home though, the scenario is a bit different. Since those unwanted distractions aren’t there anymore, employees seem to perform far better at their place than at the chitter-chatter office floor.

4) Work-life balance: This is perhaps the biggest and the most important benefit an employee could ask for. Many people struggle in maintaining a healthy work-life balance. They spend long hours in the office, struggling to make their managers and superiors satisfied with their work; however that means giving up on their social life outside of work. This isn’t a healthy way of living your professional dreams. Work from home thus came as a huge blessings for people who were going through this rough emotional roller-coaster and looking for a way out.

The pandemic has given all of us a respite and employees can now have a great balance managing both work and their social life. This is important as it leads to less employee turnover, less professional burnouts, a marked decrease in stress, keeps employees happy and thereby promoting a boost in their overall productivity. 

5) Better communication: Let’s face it – work from home is a great option however it isn’t going to be a fairytale episode if you don’t treat it professionally. Although your office has given you the option to continue working from home, do not take advantage of it by means of dodging phone calls or work related matter. You should invest as much time and effort in building and collaborating team work by means of online available tools and software so that you get the maximum benefit out of working from home. Open communication is crucial at every stage and you must be able to communicate your thoughts and feelings to your colleagues and managers as much as you were able to do it when in office. Keeping the communication channel open means that you are receptive to their feedback and can grow as a person.

It is understandable that for many, working from home wasn’t anticipated. It isn’t everybody’s cup of tea however since the pandemic has now shown hopeful signs of slowing down just yet, the professional show must go on. Working from home is a blessing for many and if managed well, you shouldn’t be able to see much difference in the output of your work. In fact, with so much flexibility available, you should take full advantage of it and set high standards for yourself and others.

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