In a recent survey conducted by Regus, the world’s largest provider of flexible workspaces, two out of five professionals have now turned to remote working.

With winter fast approaching, the daily commute turns into a battle of longer journey times, bad weather conditions, cancelled train services and traffic jams. Although for 39% of professionals who work remotely for at least half of the week, stressful commuting is now a thing of the past.

But it’s not just the remote worker who has gained, businesses have found remote working an increasingly valuable incentive.

Benefits of remote working

  • Cost saving to business; lower overheads and reduced operating costs due to more efficient use of business premises. decrease in recruitment expenses
  • Improved level of service; with both extended business hours and higher staff moral due to flexible work schedules
  • Increase in productivity; higher staff motivation
  • Reduction in absences; lowered stress levels, reduced absences due to sickness and staff claiming time off for personal commitments
  • Greater staff retention; staff are less likely to leave a business, companies retain highly skilled employees who are happier to work with flexible working practices

Regus also found that more than 20% of the remote workers surveyed worked longer hours from home benefitting those businesses offering flexible working practices to staff.

During the 2012 London Olympics, UK businesses were encouraged to offer flexible working including remote working.

Another survey conducted by the Institute of Leadership and Management found that one fifth of UK businesses had introduced flexible working schemes as part of their business continuity plan and 43% would continue the arrangements post Olympics.