9 benefits of working from home If these advantages spark excitement or “I could get used to that” thoughts, WFH may be a good fit for you...
9 benefits of working from home
1. You get greater flexibility in your schedule and your day-to-day life is easier to manage.
With remote work, “I can sleep in a little later. I can get up and make sure the kids are moving along and I can go to the gym every morning,” says Heather Bostwick, VP of Marketing and Analytics at Education Dynamics, a higher education enrollment growth agency. Before the pandemic, remote work wasn’t an option for her; now her company is fully WFH and only maintains office space for monthly meetings.
So Bostwick can take care of the ceaseless laundry pileup that comes with kids during her workday. “I used to have six to eight loads of laundry to do on the weekend and then I’d be exhausted going to work the next week,” she says.
Flexibility shoots to the top of the pros list for me too. I can use my breaks to get dishes out of the way or cut veggies for dinner, which gives me more time to spend with my husband and the kids in the evening.
Some remote jobs may also come with flexible hours, which allow you even more control over when you get your work done in addition to where. This depends on your job and employer, but for me, WFH means I can take an hour or two away from my computer to go to the dentist or pop to the store during business hours. When my kids were younger, WFH meant I could make school events without much scheduling fuss, or easily pick up a sick kid from school with just a quick message to my boss.
2. You can ditch the time-consuming commute.
Your daily commute can compound or increase your stress levels as you deal with factors beyond your control, such as rude passengers, vehicle breakdowns, and traffic jams. A longer commute can also reduce job satisfaction and worsen your mental health. For many, a commute can be more stressful than the job itself. And if something goes wrong, that can make you late to work.
Plus, even when things go perfectly, even a relatively short commute of 20 minutes will take 40 minutes out of your day—that’s more than three hours a week. If your commute is longer, it’s easy to see how the lost time can add up. Working from home gives you back that time to use how you want. You could squeeze in more work—but I want better for you. We all need a break, so take that extra time to call a friend, play with your pet, hang with your family, or go out to your favorite spot for dinner.
3. You can complete more work tasks and assignments.
A pre-pandemic experiment conducted with the employees of a Chinese travel agency showed that a group randomly selected to WFH showed a productivity increase of 13%—which was attributed to a quieter work environment and more minutes worked per shift. And a 2021 survey of remote workers found that 6 in 10 reported they’re more productive working from home than they expected to be because they don’t have the commute and may be getting a better night’s sleep. At home, workers also gain back time lost to in-office distractions and interruptions, such as:
- The noise and activity of an open office plan
- That chatty coworker who has trouble ending conversations
- Those impromptu meetings or coffee breaks that run long
That’s not to say that there are no distractions that come with remote work, of course, but for many people, the in-office ones are more disruptive to their productivity.
You’re also able to match your breaks to your natural peaks and dips in focus. “Working from home allows you better control over managing your energy,” says Rachel Wallins, founder of Accelerate Talent Management and a productivity and leadership expert.
If you usually hit an afternoon lull at 2 PM, for example, you can take a quick power nap or go for a walk to refresh yourself for the remainder of the workday. At an office, you might feel you need to ‘power through’ like your coworkers, but taking these micro-breaks can increase work engagement and productivity.
4. You can be way more comfortable and cozy.
“I don’t miss pants. I don’t miss jeans. I certainly don’t miss underwire bras. Those are never coming back into my world. Never. Nope. Uh-uh.” says Bostwick, who is now a sports bra aficionado. Day-to-day comfort is personal, but working from home gives you choices beyond business or business-casual looks—especially on days that are light on virtual meetings.
Many people with disabilities, such as chronic back pain or mental illness, can also benefit from WFH gear and settings personalized to meet their needs. An employee with chronic joint pain, for example, may feel more comfortable in their ergonomic home desk chair. A worker with the seasonal affective disorder (SAD), can position their desk near a window to get more sunlight. Someone who moves or fidgets often throughout the day can do so without worrying about distracting others.
5. You spend less money outside of the house.
According to a 2021 survey by Bankrate, 57% of workers said remote work had a positive impact on their finances. For example, I always spent a lot on lattes and lunches when I left the house for work, so I’m saving for sure now that I make my own.
Of course, individual spending will vary, but here’s where you might save:
- Commuting: Whether you take public transportation or drive your own car—gas, tolls, and monthly passes for the bus, train, or ferry can add up.
- Clothes: A few comfy leggings or joggers, a rotation of relaxed but presentable tops, and you’re good to go. You can get dressed up if you want, but you don’t necessarily have to have a closet full of business garb and professional shoes.
- Food: Getting ready for work and making lunch at the same time is great, but not everyone can fit meal prep into their weeks. At home, you’ve got your own fridge with your own favorite snacks and meals at hand. Best of all, you don’t have to write your name on your chow to keep [redacted] from HR from grabbing your yogurt.
- Childcare: This depends on your circumstances and your child (or children), but if you’re a parent or caregiver, you might be able to save money on daycare or afterschool programs.
On the flip side, you’re home more often which may mean using more power than you would if you were at the office, for instance, or buying yourself some home-office furniture—like a comfortable chair or desk. If you work from home, ask your employer if they offer any reimbursements to offset one-time purchases like that furniture or recurring expenses like the costs of increased electricity bills or the need to pay for a higher-speed internet package.
6. You can choose where to live because you’re not tied to a city or region.
Approximately 5 million workers moved between 2020 and 2022 because remote work made it possible. No longer connected with a physical office, many fully remote employees could keep their jobs and move closer to family, to a dream location, or to an area with a lower cost of living. (Maybe all three!) Just keep in mind that in some cases—like employers that want you to attend in-person meetings once a week—changing locations may not be ideal. You should also make sure to check that your organization can legally employ someone based in the state or country you’re looking to move to.
7. You’ll enjoy more creative control over your workspace.
At an office, you can add some pizzazz to your cubicle with plants and family pictures and knick-knacks—to a point. But in a home office, you can make the space truly your own and ensure it sparks joy for your workday. Go minimalist. Go midcentury. Go steampunk if that’s your style! You can also curate your optimal work environment. Set the thermostat just the way you like it. Choose your favorite music and set the volume to “nightclub” if that helps motivate you. Work in your favorite oversized chair with your legs over the arm. When your surroundings match your work preferences, you’ll be able to get more done.
8. It puts you in charge of reducing your carbon footprint.
With no commute, you contribute fewer greenhouse gasses to the atmosphere. At home, you can have more control over the environmental impact of your office. Turn off most of the lights in your home, use surge protectors, and set your office equipment to power-save mode. There are also federal and state incentives to improve the energy efficiency of your home.
Remote work is not, however, the slam dunk for sustainability you might think. Researchers have found sustainability is not an automatic byproduct of WFH—but it can be an intentional one.
9. Remote work provides wider opportunities for diversity and inclusion.
WFH policies can open up more work opportunities to people with barriers to working in an office environment. Remote work can increase job possibilities and improve job satisfaction for:
- Minorities who report greater comfort working from home. In a survey by Future Forum, Black employees specifically reported twice as much sense of belonging at their company and a 64% boost in their ability to manage stress when switching to remote work, in part because they don’t have to ‘code-switch’ as often and experience fewer microaggressions.
- Women are often the primary caregivers of young children and elderly parents.
- People with physical and mental disabilities or chronic health conditions that make it difficult or impossible to commute to work or spend the traditional 9-to-5, Monday to Friday in an office.
- People who don’t have the ability to cover the costs of childcare or transportation.
- People who don’t live near a company’s physical location. For example, someone who can’t afford to live in a major city or needs to live in a certain area due to personal responsibilities.
Sondra is a versatile writer and editor with expertise in copywriting and reporting for a diverse set of clients and industries. She utilizes well-honed research and storytelling skills to quickly and consistently generate fresh ideas and perspectives. Sondra is recognized for her ability to locate authoritative sources, meet tight deadlines, and maintain a distinct voice while matching the tone of a given publication or brand.
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