Remote work allows employees to complete their tasks without the stress of a commute. This allows for a healthier and happier working environment.
The flexibility that remote work offers is one of the most attractive features for employees and employers alike. In fact, a recent study found that nearly 75% of employees would quit their current jobs for a company that offers remote work options.
Self-starter attitude
One of the most important soft skills when it comes to remote work is a self-starter attitude. Being able to take the initiative and get your job done without relying on your supervisor or a colleague is essential for success.
Self-starters are able to independently identify solutions and train themselves for new responsibilities. They also regularly raise their expectations for themselves and their teams, ensuring productivity increases and achieving higher goals.
Having a self-starter attitude is important when working from home, as it helps you to keep focused on your goals and work efficiently. It also means you’re less likely to be distracted by other people or distractions around you.
A self-starter attitude is often a deciding factor when hiring for a remote position, as employers want candidates who can do their jobs independently. It also means you don’t need a lot of guidance or supervision from your boss, which can save them time and energy.
It’s especially important when you’re applying for roles that require leadership, as self-starters are usually better suited to helping lead teams through difficult situations and challenging tasks. If you’ve taken on a leadership role in the past, you can highlight this by sharing an example of a time when you stepped up to lead a project or team.
You can also emphasize your self-starter attitude by demonstrating how you work through obstacles and challenges when needed. You can do this by volunteering to take on a challenging project, agreeing to lead a new team or offering to help mentor new employees.
The ability to tackle new challenges is a key part of being a self-starter, as it demonstrates your desire to grow and improve. It’s also a good idea to show you’re comfortable with advanced level tasks by working past any discomfort you may feel, such as when learning new software or handling complex data.
Being a self-starter is an essential skill for pursuing a remote career, so it’s worth taking the time to develop this characteristic. It can also help you stand out in an interview. Recruiters and hiring managers are looking for people with remote-relevant skills, such as being able to manage time and projects independently, familiarity with collaboration tools and strong written communication skills.
Flexibility
When employees are given the freedom to choose when and where they work, they feel more engaged in their job. This leads to higher productivity and greater satisfaction with their roles.
When remote working becomes a part of a company’s culture, it also means that companies can attract more talent from other areas. This is because it offers more flexibility and can be easier for people who have family or other commitments to maintain.
Moreover, flexible work arrangements can improve employee engagement because it allows employees to manage their schedules and eliminate or reduce certain aspects of their jobs that they don’t like. This is especially important for those who want to keep a close eye on their health or who have kids who require frequent care.
Many companies are now recognizing the importance of flexibility in their business and making it an integral part of their strategy. They are implementing hybrid work arrangements that combine in-person meetings with remote options and allowing their employees to work flexibly on some days or in their preferred time zone.
The research shows that organizations that adopt this type of working model experience increased productivity and a higher employee retention rate. The key to this success is creating a clear policy and ensuring that the leadership team is supporting it.
In addition, it is crucial to ensure that managers understand how to implement the flex-work arrangements. This can be difficult, as a variety of factors may affect the implementation process. Managers should be able to explain the expectations for flexible work and how it will benefit both the employer and the employee.
Another way to make a successful flexible work program is to create a pilot program for a small group of employees and test it out. This allows you to see how your team will respond and what issues might arise.
If it is successful, a regular flex-work arrangement can be made available for the rest of the staff. This will help you determine which employees are interested in a more flexible schedule and what types of changes can be made to make the flex-work arrangement work best for your organization.
Better mental health and wellness
Despite its popularity, remote work isn’t without its negative side effects. One of the biggest is a lack of social interaction. This can lead to mental and emotional health challenges, such as depression and loneliness.
In addition, working from home can be stressful if the environment isn’t conducive to productivity. A cluttered or untidy home office can affect employees’ moods and overall wellbeing, according to researchers.
Employees can also struggle to maintain a healthy work-life balance when they’re constantly plugged in at home, which can lead to burnout. This is especially true if they’re working long hours, according to the CDC.
As such, it’s important for employers to offer mental health benefits with their fully remote options. This will ensure that their employees are receiving the support they need to keep their mental health on track.
Team-based wellness activities are a great way to promote good mental health in the workplace. They’re also a fun way for employees to connect with each other.
These types of wellness programs are beneficial for both remote and in-office workers. For example, they can help employees keep fit by tracking their exercise and food intake in a digital dashboard. They can also provide a sense of community, as they’ll be able to compete against their peers in online fitness challenges.
Additionally, they can give employees some money back from their paychecks and encourage them to take care of themselves by allowing them to participate in virtual wellness classes. They can also get access to a digital version of their physical biometric lab results.
Another benefit of remote work is that it can cut out some of the major stressors in employees’ lives. For instance, a commute can be incredibly stressful and contribute to recurring physical pains, such as neck and back issues.
In fact, a 2016 Gallup survey found that extreme commuters who spend two or more hours each day in traffic are more likely to experience recurring pain. Thankfully, with a little planning and a lot of discipline, remote workers can avoid these sorts of long-term problems.
Better productivity
Remote work has become a popular option in recent years. As the world continues to experience unexpected pandemics and other disruptions, many employers have turned to a remote work policy to avoid potential chaos in the office.
As a result, there are more people working from home than ever before. In fact, research has shown that workers who are able to work remotely tend to be more productive than those who don’t have that flexibility.
According to a two-year study by Great Place to Work, a majority of employees reported that their productivity was stable or increased after they started working remotely. Studies have also found that employees who worked from home were able to get more done in less time than those who didn’t.
In addition, employees who work from home were able to build healthier habits like exercising and eating better. In fact, Ergotron surveyed remote employees and found that almost 50% of them were able to fit exercise into their schedule.
Additionally, many remote employees reported that they were able to spend more time with their families since they didn’t have to factor in commute times. This allowed them to focus more on family and spending quality time together, which can improve their overall mood and help them stay motivated when they’re trying to get work done.
Productivity can also be improved through regular check-ins with team members. This can be through video calls or in-person meetings. Regardless of how you do it, these meetings can ensure that your employees are staying on top of their work and are able to meet deadlines.
As remote workers continue to gain more popularity, it is important for companies to provide a supportive work environment that allows them to be as productive as possible. There are a few ways that companies can do this:
One of the biggest challenges that remote workers face is isolation. This is because there are fewer opportunities to engage in social interactions with co-workers and other people in the same office. In order to overcome this, businesses can set up accountability work buddy challenges that involve a few people completing a project together. This can be a fun way to keep track of progress and help your team members feel more connected to each other.