Working remotely is a hot topic right now. Some swear it makes them more productive while others get distracted. Managers sometimes find it uncomfortable, new parents believe it is a necessity and some millennials believe it is a human right. Whatever your belief, working remotely is on the rise, making up 37% of US workforce and many people are finding benefits.

At CS2 we are 100% remote (apart from a few team offsite meetings a year), with team members in different areas of California and Washington. We strongly believe this trend has a ton of benefits for an employee’s well being AND their productivity.

While there are many industries where employees have to physically be somewhere, we feel there are still more people in offices than there needs to be.

Considering remote work? Here are some of the benefits we have noticed:

1. Happier team

No commute = extra hours in the day. The team can choose to spend the extra time working more, or on other pursuits (my preferred option) which makes them a more rounded person and able to boost their mood/reduce their stress with their favorite hobby. A happier and less stressed person = a better and more effective employee.

2. Healthier team

No uncomfortable lower back destroying commute + more time to exercise and get outside + access to better home-cooked food + less stress trying to complete the non-work to-do list = a healthier team with less sick days, consistent energy and sustained productivity.

3. More productive

Fewer unnecessary meetings, less interruptions from coworkers and a happier and healthier team allows the team to be more purposeful with their time and more effective at getting sh*t done.

4. Wider talent pool

Why limit your talent pool to everyone in a 50 mile radius? There is a whole country/world full of talented and capable people who are looking for work and we have a ton of technologies at our fingertips designed to help us work together. Many of our clients are based in Silicon Valley and face serious competition when trying to hire; why not search outside of this area?

These are just a few of the benefits, the list could go on and on. However, we understand that some people find it hard to stay motivated when working from home, which then causes distrust from management and a negative influence on the team; eradicating the benefits. We believe the most important factor in pushing remote working further than it is today is making sure you are more effective working from home than in an office. This will instill trust and hopefully create more momentum for remote working as companies start realizing the benefits. This takes a new approach to working than you may be used to. So, if you struggle with motivation while working from home, be on the lookout the next blog of this two-part series “How to make working from home work for you.”