The link between working remotely and productivity has attracted the curiosity of numerous studies and analyses. As the work-from-home workforce is evolving due to all the non-human contact employment alternatives, businesses must adjust to the new facts. Read the following articles to get interesting data & insights from a variety of studies that analyzed our topic. 

According to research by Owl Labs, in 2021, 70% of people who worked from home during the pandemic indicated that virtual meetings are less stressful, and 64% now prefer hybrid meetings.

Over the past few months, several studies have shown that working remotely from home increases productivity more than working in an office environment. The average person who works from home is 47% more productive, works one extra day a week, and wastes 10% less time per day.

Working remotely can boost output by as much as 77%

According to a Connect Solutions poll, 77% of those who work remotely at least occasionally report higher productivity, with 30% producing more work in less time and 24% producing more work in the same amount of time.

Working from home can improve performance by up to 13%

Working remotely boosts productivity by 13%, according to a Stanford study of 16,000 employees over 9 months. This performance improvement was brought about by more calls being made per minute due to a more comfortable and quiet working environment, as well as by working longer shifts with fewer breaks and sick days. Employees reported greater job satisfaction in the same study, and attrition rates were reduced by 50%.

Prior to COVID-19

Many businesses have been hesitant to allow employees to work from home because they think it will reduce productivity. This isn’t completely incorrect. It’s simple to become sidetracked, put off tasks, or work less diligently from home than at the workplace.

A 2019 research by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 24% of persons with jobs conducted part or all of their work at home on days they had work, while 82% of people with jobs did some or all of their work at their place of employment.

Based on the same study by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employees in professional and related occupations and financial operations (33%), business, and management (37%) were more likely to work partially or entirely from home on days when they were employed than employees in other occupations.

According to a 2012 study by E. Glenn Dutcher, office workers who were given tedious duties performed more quickly and accurately in the typical office environment. When you don’t enjoy your job, home distractions are more likely to keep you from doing productive work. However, this study discovered that more creative labor produced more fruitful outcomes. In other words, a task will be finished more quickly the fewer restrictions that are placed on it.

The same study also demonstrates that if everyone works from home, the “office” as a whole will perform worse. Every person will put in the same amount of effort as the one before them. No one wants to put forth more effort while others take advantage of them.

Following COVID-19

Since 2012, a few things have changed. It is now simpler to work from home, and communication tools are improving. According to polls conducted in the last few months, working from home results in faster project turnaround times and more productivity. The first six months of stay-at-home orders in 2020, from March to August, were compared to the same period in 2019, by Great Place to Work. Two-year research involving 800,000 employees found that remote job productivity was either maintained or enhanced when done from home.

According to Prodoscore, productivity has increased by 47% since March 2020 (in comparison to March and April 2019), and they have figured out when people are most productive. According to the survey, employees are most productive on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and between 10:30 am and 3:00 pm. Even though the typical workweek still runs from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm, more employees are using email and customer relationship management programs to communicate with one another.

Only 65% of Americans, according to a Stanford survey, have internet speeds high enough to support video conversations. 26% of Americans work at their employer’s physical site, while 42% do so from home. According to a March 2020 Airtasker poll, employees who work from home spend 15% less time avoiding it, work 1.4 more days per month, and take 15% longer breaks.

Additional Data

Employees who work from home say their coworkers are less distracting, they talk about unrelated subjects for 30 minutes less, and they talk to management for 7% less time.

Nathan Schultz, a senior executive at Chegg, gave an interview for The New York Times about productivity at the company now that the labor is sheltered at home. His initial reaction was to constantly check in on the workers, but as soon as he relaxed, production increased, and workers began doing tasks ahead of schedule.

Even while production has increased, this does not guarantee that it will continue to be so. According to the same NYT piece, some businesses are reporting that their staff members struggle with the absence of social interaction. Employee happiness will gradually decrease as productivity is hampered by poor mental health.

In the first few months of quarantine, businesses like Splunk, Affirm, and Microsoft experienced a significant increase in productivity. However, over a term, the isolation of working from home harmed both productivity and job happiness. For this reason, a hybrid work paradigm is now being adopted by many businesses.

What is the Difference Between Working in an Office and at Home?

The information is being used by surveys and academics to better understand how working from home might increase productivity and improve working hours. According to a 2021 survey by Owl Labs, 40% of businesses paid employees once for work-from-home expenditures. According to the same poll, only 36% of respondents think that individual work is best done in the workplace. Some workers may be more productive at home because of a variety of things that are different there.

No commuting

Working from home saves this time, whether it takes 10 minutes to get to work or an hour. If workers don’t have to make the trip to work by car, they can start their workday earlier. According to the Airtasker poll, a worker who doesn’t commute to work saves 8.5 hours per week of free time. This adds up to 408 hours in a year.

Less small talk

Whether or not it is business-related, people who work from home interact with coworkers less. According to Airtasker, 70% of people value professional relationships more than completing tasks. A home office reduces social interaction to a minimum.

Extra exercise

Remote workers can use the extra time to exercise because they don’t have to commute and have fewer social opportunities. Regular exercise is an excellent stress reliever and can benefit both physical and mental health. People working from home state they can exercise up to 30 minutes more for a week.

Maximum effectiveness

To be as effective as possible, 86% of employees, according to a poll by Ask.com, prefer to work alone.

Boosting output while working from home

Working remotely instead of in an office is a significant change. Where can you work efficiently at home? How do you maintain focus? What time should you begin and end? How will this change how you live at home?

The following advice will help you or your staff operate from home more successfully:

Make your workspace cozy

Working in an office encourages focus and accountability. Attempt to duplicate this workspace in your house, whether by adding a desk behind the sofa or converting a spare room into an office. The area should be cozy, free of additional screens (TV, Xbox, etc.), and equipped with everything you need to finish your work.

Remain arranged

To make sure you stay on schedule, you might need to start utilizing a day planner or adopt a new organizational strategy. It is advised that you make a weekly work schedule and include a list of the duties you have to do. Maintaining your commitment to the plan will assist you in developing consistency and a routine.

Work on shorter but more intense periods

When you concentrate intensively for shorter periods, you might be more productive. Time how long you can work without becoming distracted for a few hours. For instance, if you can focus for 30 minutes without becoming sidetracked, keep up this pace the entire day. Set an internet timer for 30 uninterrupted minutes of work following each break.

Go on a break

Your brain may relax and refocus by taking regular rests. 37% of the remote employees surveyed by Airtasker believe that taking regular breaks is the best approach to maintaining productivity. Get a snack, a drink, some fresh air, or check on your family during your break. A remote worker takes 22 minutes of breaks during the day on average.

Conclusion

Depending on your arrangement, working remotely can be a more productive atmosphere than the usual office cubicle, improving work-life balance. The current epidemic has altered our working environment, and more businesses are looking to at-home remedies.

To ensure that their productivity continues to meet company requirements for months to come, make sure your personnel is at ease, well-organized, and healthy.

Further Reading:

How Labor Unions Facilitate Employee Engagement: Advantages & Disadvantages
Hard and Soft HRM Approaches: A Comparison
360-Degree Feedback: Pros & Cons
When, How and Why Employees Become Advocates – Part One