Remote work has many benefits. From PJs, to family, pets, hobbies, and lack of commute, our team recognizes and appreciates the work from home lifestyle.
Imagine interviewing in your underwear, running on (falling off) the treadmill during a team all hands, getting your entire family to participate in a company-wide cartwheel challenge, or taking a virtual around-the-world trip at a team party. These are just some of the crazy benefits our fully virtual team has shared when it comes to remote work.
Doing a Google search today, the results blast out a whopping 602,000,000 posts adopting “benefits of remote work” keywords, or 1,970,000,000 when tapping in “remote work”. Scanning your email or LinkedIn feed, you likely have a good handful of forwarded messages on the same topic. Great companies like Github, HubSpot, Buffer, and Gartner are churning out reports too. There are summits and webinars and, and, and. The mind boggles.
There are so many sanitized responses of beautifully curated content telling us the same old same old. But, we know why remote work is good, we understand the win-win benefits for organizations, leadership teams, and individuals. We’ve read of the pitfalls and failures of companies who have tried to set up remote work environments.
Instead of stating the obvious about the benefits of remote work, we’re sharing some authentic commentary that our team has offered over the years. I sent a questionnaire through our communication channels, asking team members to “share what you do on a daily basis to make working from home a do-able, fun, and amazing experience!”
You’ll likely be surprised. You may roll your eyes. Our team is a little daring, but that is what we love most about them.
THROUGH THE EYES OF OUR WNDYRful TEAM – In order of popularity (yup, I ranked them and scored by percentage. I’m nerdy like that).
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Our team most notably enjoys the flexibility to exercise anytime and anywhere throughout the day.
37% of the team loves that they get to choose where and when they exercise throughout the day.
Stats from the WNDYR team survey, March 2020.
In an office, we’re often too self-conscious to get the vulnerable stretches in that we need throughout the day. Exercise is no longer reserved for early mornings or late afternoons. Our team exercises between work tasks, over extended lunches, or during meetings.
From pull up bars mounted to office doorways, to yoga mats and meditation corners. Some of the team is training to do parkour (not me!) and there’s lots of encouragement to compete on Peleton. One of our members keeps a treadmill next to his desk. Once, he had an ungraceful dismount during an all hands while reaching for the unmute button.
34% of the team said they loved that they got to spend extra time with their loved ones.
Stats from the WNDYR team survey, March 2020.
Lunch with their other half, extra cuddles with the kids, bunny rabbits on the desk, and kitty cats on their lap are very very common sightings during WNDYR team connects.
Your hobbies may not include house cleaning, but they’re connected!
31% of our crew value the opportunity to pack the dishwasher, hang up the washing, or tinker a tune on their guitar, piano, or drum kit.
Stats from the WNDYR team survey, March 2020.
Not only that, but virtual meetings allow snapshots of our lives. In some cases, a guitar on a wall strategically positioned where your camera picks it up allows for interesting conversation. Hobbies are also used to de-stress during the day.
29% of our team said they love the freedom that remote work gives them to work from anywhere they want.
Stats from the WNDYR team survey, March 2020.
Most of our team consists of digital nomads. But even within their own homes, many team members frequently change where they work in their houses throughout the day. The ability to move fluidly through your space as and when you need to, depending on your mood or positioning of the light, is a very solid benefit. Sometimes, you may need more air, less noise, or just a change of scenery.
20% of our team voted listening to music while they work as a remote work win.
Stats from the WNDYR team survey, March 2020.
While music also exists in brick-and-mortar offices, it’s usually confined to a headset. Some workers are stimulated by loud rock, others go more classical, and others yet, enjoy the TV on as background noise. On the other hand, music and noises may irritate those who are easily distracted. In this case, they can create a quiet, no-noise work environment.
14% of our team save up to 10 hours per week from not having to commute.
Stats from the WNDYR team survey, March 2020.
While 14% seems a little low considering the aches and groans involved in commuting, many people enjoy commuting as time to engage in their favorite podcast, escape the kids, sing in the car, cry, or simply enjoy the ride. On the other hand, a lack of commute is liberating, providing up to 2 extra hours every single work day for sleeping in, exercising, (not working), etc.
PJs are king.
Not having to worry about what to wear to work is a benefit that 11% of our team enjoys with remote work
Stats from the WNDYR team survey, March 2020.
Interviewing in workwear on top and pjs on the bottom is not as rare as you’d think. One employee claims she’d been given very short notice to hop onto an impromptu call. With not enough time to pull everything together she focused on everything above her waist instead. Curled hair, makeup, and a clean button-up shirt. We still laugh about it.
Our team reports that while some like to work in sweats, others still like to get themselves dressed up. It comes down to comfort vs. attitude. Either way, 11% of the team love the freedom to choose what they wear without judgement.
Bret, WNDYR’s Director of Revenue based in Dallas, puts special emphasis on concepts like our dynamic, fully immersive onboarding program and our nip-issues-in-the-bud communication style as benefits for remote work.
We’re invested in what makes our team members flourish—as a work management and team onboarding leader, we have to be!
Working remote benefits from following a good guide with practical behaviors. Get the scoop on our fully remote work guide. And get effective!
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