More Than Just Sustainability
According to Global Workplace Analytics, approximately 56% of U.S. workers hold a job that is at least partially compatible with remote work, and that even before the pandemic, a whopping 80% of employees wanted to work from home part-time. In fact, more than a third of those polled said they would even take a pay cut in exchange for more flexible in-office hours. While reducing salaries and wages may not be necessary or prudent, the widespread willingness among workers to make these changes shows that restructuring work can provide far more benefits than simply reducing use of fossil fuels.
Cost savings can be a major benefit as well, with data showing that reducing business travel and allowing half-time remote work can save up to $11,000 per year per employee.
Working from home can also improve quality of life. With the average U.S. commute totaling 52 minutes each day, workers who stay home two days a week end up saving seven hours each month (nearly a full work day), while also eliminating stress from traffic, health effects from local air pollution inherent in combustion vehicles, and wear and tear on their vehicles.
The Bottom Line
Remote work has grown from a trend to a standard in just one year, forcing companies to be more agile and invest in technologies relevant to how work is done in 2021, not how it was done in 2019. Recent research conducted by Price Waterhouse Cooper found that 83% of employers and 71% of employees rated remote work as “successful,” and less than 20% of executives want to return to the office as it was pre-pandemic.
While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to organizing employees and the workday, there is a consistent need across all industries and responsibilities to be able to clearly, accurately, and reliably partake in video-based meetings for both internal and external communications.
A natural byproduct of increased remote communication is a major opportunity for improving sustainability and reducing emissions and impact. Companies large and small should be aware of technologies that can help maintain the expected level of performance.
STEFAN ERIKSSON is CMO at Konftel, a Sweden-based collaboration devices company. Prior to joining Konftel in 2014, he served as a journalist and editor for a number of news outlets, including a Swedish telecom magazine. Eriksson is passionate about the user experience, life-changing technology, and various outdoor activities.
