The Top Pros And Cons Of Remote Working For Employers

June 6, 2024

As remote work becomes increasingly prevalent, it’s crucial for businesses to understand its implications. This article delves into the top pros and cons of remote working for employers, providing valuable insights to help you make informed decisions about your company’s work policies.

According to the Office for National Statistics, as of June 2023, 10% of the UK workforce work from home full time, with 29% working from home some of the time.¹The CIPD found that 46% of employers say the number of employees wanting to work from home has increased over the last 12 months. ²

But how do you know if remote working is right for your business? We’ve created a list of pros and cons for remote working to consider when making your decision:

4 Pros Businesses Enjoy By Having Employees Work From Home

As more businesses adapt to the changing work landscape, it’s important to understand the potential benefits of remote work. Here are four key advantages that businesses can enjoy when they allow their employees to work from home:

1. Attracting and retaining talent

When looking for a new role, 69% of employees say that the ability to work from home is important to them. ² In fact, almost 2 million workers in the UK left a job in the past year due to a lack of flexible working and nearly 4 million workers switched careers due to a lack of flexible working options within their industry. ² To stay competitive when hiring, it seems flexible working options could give your business the edge.

2. Improved productivity

Chats with co-workers, ringing phones, and other noisy office equipment can all interrupt focus in the workplace, making productivity harder. While there may also be distractions when working from home, employees can more easily control these in their homes than in the office.³ Almost two-fifths (38%) of organisations report that an increase in remote and hybrid working has improved their company’s productivity too. ² For insights on tracking your employees’ productivity, see our article on 4 Workplace Productivity Tracking Tips

3. Improved work/life balance

According to the Office for National Statistics, 47% of remote and hybrid employees reported improved wellbeing as an advantage to home working. ¹ Less time commuting and fewer costs associated with working from the office can reduce stress among employees, improving their general wellbeing. ³ Working from home can also make it easier to find a balance between personal and work life, further lowering stress and the risk of burnout. ³ Some research has suggested working from home can also help employees eat more healthy meals and may even contribute to improved blood pressure. ⁴

A man sat at his desk at home looking at his laptop and computer screen.

4. Reduced absenteeism

Working from home offers flexibility when employees are ill or have sick children at home, and meetings can be attended virtually. ³ Instead of calling in sick, employees can often complete their work from home without the risk of illness running through the whole team, causing more absences.

3 Cons Businesses Need to Be Aware of and Need to Find Solutions to Avoid

While remote work offers numerous benefits, it’s also important to consider the potential challenges. Here are three key drawbacks that businesses should be aware of and seek solutions to mitigate when implementing a work-from-home policy:

1. Less social connection

Lack of connection and isolation can be challenges associated with working remotely. 30.9% of remote workers report suffering from loneliness and isolation. ⁵ Remote working can also lead to less communication and reduced access to information, which can add to feelings of loneliness. ³ 48% of workers found it more difficult to collaborate with others when working from home too. ⁶

2. Overworking

Working remotely without laying out proper schedules can lead to fewer distinctions between work and personal life and increase the risk of overworking and burnout. ³ 48% of remote workers report replying to messages or emails outside of working hours, while 37% said they complete administrative tasks out-of-hours. ⁶ Overworking can lead to stress and burnout, reducing productivity ⁷ and increasing the risk of absences. ⁸

3. Dependence on technology

Full-time remote working means depending entirely on technology to complete tasks. If an employee has internet difficulties, or their laptop, work phone or other gadgets develop problems, they may not be able to work as expected. All of this can cause delays and decrease overall productivity. ³

While some strongly support remote working, it may not be the best solution for every business or industry. ³ As valuable and productive as working from home can be, it still has downsides to be aware of, depending on company and cultural priorities and levels of discipline among workers. ³ Weigh up the work-from-home pros and cons to find what works best for your business.

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The Top Pros And Cons Of Remote Working For Employers