Survey Says Virtual Workers More Productive and Happy

Remote employment is growing as a way to reduce costs and expenses while still encouraging higher levels of productivity. According to a ConnectSolutions survey, virtual employees were happier and more productive than those who went into the office every day. The new way of doing business may have a positive impact beyond simply saving on commuting and facilities costs. The secondary benefits should be included in any cost analysis for corporate policy making. 

Remote work policies are increasing across the country and 32% of employee’s state that they work this way at least some of the time. The survey also found that 27% of employees are working remotely full-time. This would mean that the workplace is starting to shift in terms of moving from traditional structures to virtual structures.

Employees are also taking their mobile devices and lap tops home and hanging out in cafes, libraries, pools and other locations making their work more interesting and appealing. The employees also indicate that they are more productive then they are in the traditional workplace. The quality of their life is going up when 40% are getting more sleep, 32% more exercise, and 33% are spending more time with loved ones.

If your workers have the blues it might be interesting to find that 63% of people have a more positive view of their work. Somewhere in the process they become happier with their work situations and their employer’s flexibility. This can lead to higher levels of skill retention and employee satisfaction with 100% of family oriented women said they would stay with their employer.

The survey’s findings are interesting but should not be considered conclusive in itself. Additional surveys matched against the performance of companies would lead to higher levels of cross analysis. Such surveys do add to the body of knowledge on virtual models but will still require additional surveys, research, and historical analysis to create solid conclusions. 

The virtual model isn’t fully developed yet and will continue to grow and change as it faces new market challenges. The type of employee that can work well within a virtual environment may parallel those that would do well with online learning. A higher level of intrinsic motivation and interest in the type of work may be needed. Working from home can lead to incredible amount of distractions if one hasn’t the disciplined to stay focused. 

http://www.connectsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/CoSo-White-Paper-Remote-Worker-Study.pdf

Policy and Infrastructure Improves National Growth

The development of nations occurs on a constant basis. The policies leaders put in place have a huge impact on the success of any nation and can have long-lasting impacts. A paper by Carmignani & Chowdhury (2010) discusses how specific and broad focus impacts growth. They elaborate on four scenarios of development and the outcomes of each. 

Positive Growth and Decreasing Inequality: Occurs when there is growth in the economy but greater mobility of the classes. 

Positive Growth and Increasing Inequality: Occurs when there is growth in the economy but that growth impacts one class over another. 

Negative Growth and Decreasing Inequality: Occurs when growth is negative but there is greater mobility among the classes. 

Negative Growth and Inequality: Occurs when growth is negative but it impacts one class over another. 

The authors found through their analysis that strong policies and infrastructure improvements help create the right opportunities for a positive growth and decreasing inequality situation. Countries are not limited by their geographical locations, resources, or population. Any country can improve their standing by having the right policies and infrastructure.

Policies have legal implications for businesses and help create an environment for growth. The way in which companies structure, operate and develop are based in part on how they work within particular environments. Policies should focus on business and employment growth and ensure that the environment allows for proper wealth distribution and class mobility. 

Likewise, the infrastructure of a nation naturally can impact the success of business within a particular environment. Proper infrastructure will help ensure that products move quickly, information is transferred appropriately, and money moves easily. Infrastructure encourages growth from the foundations of an economy.

Carmignani, F. & Chowdhury, A. (2011). Four scenarios of development and the role of economic policy. Journal of Developmental Studies, 47 (3).