17 Things You Need to Know About Remote Work

Just because someone is working from home doesn’t mean they’re sitting in front of their TV watching Netflix in their pajamas. Recent research has found that remote workers are actually more productive than employees who head into the office every day.
Related: 6 Characteristics of Successful Remote Employees
Today, more and more people are beginning to work remotely. According to a recent Gallup survey, 43 percent of employed Americans spend at least some time working remotely every week. Of these people, 34 percent spend four to five days working outside the office -- an 11 percent increase from 2012.
It’s no wonder -- remote work has a number of perks for employees, from boosting productivity, increasing happiness to engaging employees. The perks of a remote workforce aren’t just for employees though. Research has found that a distributed workforce not only cuts costs for a business, but there’s less turnover at companies and hiring processes are more efficient.
Related: 4 Ways to Create Effective Standards for Remote Workers
Of course, not everything can be perfect and working remotely does come with its own set of challenges, including job intensity and work-life balance. So, if you’re thinking about working remotely or having a distributed team, here are 17 things you need to know.
There is less turnover with remote workers.

The hiring process is faster.

Most remote workers are in sales.

Small companies hire more remote employees.

Don’t look at big companies for remote work. According to the State of Remote Work 2017 report, small companies are twice as likely to hire full-time remote employees.
Managers are less likely to work remotely.

Remote workers are more productive.

Remote workers have trouble “switching off.”

Remote workers are happier.

Remote jobs are more intense.

When you’re not in an office, communicating in-person with a boss or manager, it can be difficult for others to understand your workload. In the study, researchers found job intensification to be higher for remote workers. Thirty-nine percent of remote workers said they often work extra hours, over the formal hours of their job, to get through all of their work or to help out.
Home is the best place to get work done.

Remote workers are more engaged.

A distributed workforce can build stronger relationships.

Distributed teams reduce costs for businesses.

There are less workplace interruptions.

When workers get sick or need to take a day off away from the office, that can not only cause an employee to fall behind, but also cost the company. According to information from the legal advocacy group A Better Balance, employee absences can cost a large business upwards of $1 million a year. Remote work cuts absenteeism by nearly 60 percent.
Related: Should You Keep Everyone in a Single Office or Hire Remote Employees?
A distributed workforce helps the environment.

Remote workers are healthier.

Remote workers have fewer expenses.
