PPB June 2020

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT W hile working remotely isn’t for everyone, it does come with some significant perks for both employers and employees. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, about half of American workers were working from home in the month of April, which is more than double the 4.3 million people who worked from home (at least occasionally) in 2017-18. Even before the pandemic, the number of people who work from home increased by 140 percent over the past 15 years. Many sources are speculating that this trend will continue at an accelerated rate even after social distancing policies are set aside. For those employers on the fence, companies that allow remote working report a 25-percent lower turnover rate than those that don’t, and 76 percent of workers would be more willing to stay with their current employer if they could work flexible hours. A significant majority (69 percent) of Millennials, who comprise half of the American workforce, would give up other work benefits for a more flexible working space. The cherry on top is that telecommuting has been shown to save in operating costs. For example, in 2015, employers with home-based workers saved a total of $44 billion nationwide, according to a study by Global Workplace Analytics. Workers who telecommute for just half their workdays can save an average of 11 days per year in travel time alone—an added bonus. That’s 264 hours, or a little over an hour per workday. Current telecommuters report having more time to devote to their children, hobbies, physical Maintaining Boundaries And Balance When Working Remotely Now that working from home has been successfully tested, expect it to continue even after workplaces reopen. Here are five ways to make it more effective for you and your employer. by Kacie Brinner 74 | JUNE 2020 | THINK