Thinking of working remotely? You’re not alone. Only 3% of people who had worked from home during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic said they want to return to full-time work in a physical office, and 61% would like to be 100% remote. Many people also had to change their working style, or even their whole career, to work around the pandemic, making remote working very much a key path to doing just that.
It’s no surprise it’s such a popular option as it has so many benefits. The majority of employees love the flexibility of a remote work schedule, while others would be willing to stay with their employer if they could work the kind of flexible hours that working remotely allows.
If you’re not convinced, or you haven’t yet made the leap, it could be that you don’t yet know about all the pros of working remotely. In this article we look at all the benefits to working remotely as a professional, so you can start to consider exactly how this way of working could work for you in the future:
When you need to be physically present at a job you are limited to the area in which you want to live, or perhaps within one to two hours commute of your residence, at a push. When you are remote as a professional, you have access to work opportunities across the world. Your skillset can be used anywhere, by any organization willing to accept remote employees. So, if you felt opportunities were lacking in your local area, this is one surefire way to open the door to work in multiple organizations and individuals across the planet.
Even if you only work remotely some of the time, that is more time than you can travel and work, than if you’re always tethered to a physical workspace. If you work remotely all the time, the world is literally your oyster, and you can accomplish the digital nomad dream. This is something that was previously associated with those who have a non-traditional job. However, in a recent survey conducted by Bayt.com entitled “Remote Work in the MENA 2021”, respondents have highlighted benefits of remote work, like saving travel time (53%) and working in a comfortable work area (52%). The same survey also revealed that two-thirds of MENA professionals expect the remote working trends to increase or remain the same as now in the post-pandemic world.
If you don’t want to travel, and you want access to more job opportunities from where you are, remote working is really beneficial. This is especially true if you have children. Sure, within the last decade there has been evidence that UAE families have on average, three children, rather than the average of seven back in the ’70s, but those are still dependents who restrict your ability to move around as a working professional. The same with other dependents like grandparents who need care. It’s also fair to say that some people simply love where they live.
Working remotely means increased job opportunities without having to move, which is incredibly useful.
Many professionals believe they are more productive working from home, which is just one of the ways businesses can benefit from this kind of arrangement. When it comes to work-life balance, though, remote working really comes into its own. So many professionals struggle to excel in their careers whilst still remaining physically and mentally healthy and giving enough time for the kids and their families and friends. When you work remotely you can often choose your own working hours, you have more flexibility overall and you cut out the dreaded commute, which is a real boost time-wise.
Over three-quarters of people in the UAE acknowledge climate change and how it is a problem. It’s almost unavoidable to be eco-conscious to some degree these days.
Although not the main reason many professionals choose to work remotely, working outside of an office is actually more eco-friendly than working in an office. This is because you cut out the transport to work, and you also avoid contributing to the large energy and resource output of an office.
Working remotely means it is much easier to work for multiple clients and organizations. So, if you need extra income or you simply want to broaden your employer scope, remote working is the perfect way to do that because you’re not committed to a physical working space by any one client or organization.
This is a huge positive for anybody who has considered working for themselves before, wanting to go fully freelance or self-employed. Maybe you know you can do a better job than the people you work for? Perhaps it has been suggested you start up your own agency as the one you work for is bringing you down? Maybe you want to earn the entire client fee rather than having to pay the middleman for the connection?
Whatever your reason for wanting to go freelance, remote working is an excellent way to do it because the overheads are minimal, and the client base is global.
One reason professionals love remote working is the flexibility of everyday life. You can meet a client in an office you have hired for the afternoon, then go and work at your favorite coffee shop afterward. You can work in a co-working space with like-minded people or avoid all the people and work in your converted loft over the weekend. The fact is, the choice is yours and you created that flexibility by becoming a remote worker.
What’s The Next Step in Your Remote Working Journey?
Remember, all the benefits we have listed above are real, but jumping into remote work isn’t for everyone. Often, there has to be a transition that ensures you can maintain a feasible and rewarding career away from the office, even if that means saving for a while or getting more education under your belt. It’s a decision that you need to take time to make, especially if you have large financial commitments, or your office-based job is particularly high-level.
However, with the right approach, research, and attitude you can live a remote worker dream as a professional, opening you up to endless worldwide career opportunities, for a chance at true, enviable autonomy over your entire lifestyle.
Check out the 100s of working-from-home jobs on Bayt.com right here and start applying today!
