The Rise of the Remote Worker: Why Working from Home is Getting Bigger

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More and more people are working remotely. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of people who work from home — aka remote workers — has increased by almost 50% in the past decade, with roughly 5 million Americans now working from home on a regular basis. Working remotely is no longer just a perk for employees in tech or other roles with technology as a central part of their job. Remote work is increasingly common across professions, industries and geographies, so much so that we’ve even coined the term “Remote Culture” to describe it. The question is: Why? What are the advantages of working remotely? Are there any drawbacks? And how can you get your company to allow you to do it?

The advantages of remote work

There are many reasons why a company might want to hire remote workers, and most of them have to do with benefits for the employees. Remote workers can travel more, have a more flexible work schedule, spend fewer hours in the office and have a lower chance of getting sick compared to their in-office colleagues. Beyond that, there are also a number of advantages for the employer that come with hiring remote workers. These include:

Flexibility and autonomy

One of the biggest advantages of working remotely is that it allows you to be in control of your schedule and daily routine. You have much more flexibility in this type of work, allowing you to choose when you work and for how long. Remote workers also often have a lot of autonomy and control over the kind of work they do, which can be very rewarding. According to a survey by Working Nomads, 82% of remote workers say that having autonomy over their work is very important. Being able to work from home also gives you more privacy and autonomy from your surroundings, which can be good for your mental health.

A Millennial workforce

Millennials are likely the group most associated with remote work, given that they make up half of the remote workforce. Millennials are also expected to make up 75% of the global workforce by 2025, so the rising numbers of remote workers are in line with larger demographic trends. Millennials are a very remote- and gig-friendly generation, and they’re also more likely to be entrepreneurs than previous generations. This is partly because Millennials grew up during the Great Recession, which made them more risk-averse and careful with their finances than previous generations. Millennials are also very career-focused, and they want to work in fields that make a difference. Remote work and contract work allow them to make different types of career choices, like pursuing their passion in a creative field, while still making enough money to live and save for the future.

A workforce that is increasingly remote-friendly

As more and more remote workers are hired, more companies are becoming remote-friendly. There are now over 6,000 remote-friendly companies in the U.S., and this number has been growing rapidly in recent years. Remote-friendly companies have a few key characteristics: They hire remote workers, use software and tools that allow for remote work, and have a culture that supports remote work. There are many advantages to being remote-friendly, including reduced costs (for example, remote workers don’t need to be in an office, or they may live nearby and be able to walk to work).

Learnings

To attract and retain top talent, companies need to offer flexible work options, like remote work. Working remotely can also benefit your company by reducing costs and increasing productivity, as remote workers tend to be more productive than their in-office colleagues. If your company doesn’t already offer remote work, it’s worth exploring this option. To host a remote work program, you need to create an environment where remote work is possible, such as having the right tools, culture and management practices. If your company is used to in-office work, it may be difficult to transition to remote work. Still, there are steps you can take to make remote work more likely. First, you can identify what makes working remotely successful. Then, you can design your company’s culture and management practices to foster this type of work.

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