If you want to cut down on employee burnout, remote work could be the answer, with a new study showing that those with flexible working arrangements are less exhausted, the primary symptom of burnout.
There’s no shortage of statistics that show the value of remote work. From increased productivity to improved mental health, the popular employee perk has been found time and time again to be a boon for workers and employers alike.
Now, it seems that remote work could also improve employee retention, with this study pointing to substantial stress and burnout reduction for those lucky enough to work from home.
Remote Workers Are Less Burnt Out
In a study from WFH Research, researchers found a decidedly significant correlation between remote work and a lack of burnout symptoms.
In fact, remote workers exhibited an average of only 0.7 burnout symptoms, while in-office workers averaged 1.0 symptoms on average. One of the most notable symptoms of burnout is low energy or exhaustion, which in-office workers (35.3%) also experience far more than remote employees (27.1%).
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That’s not all, though. The study also found that employees are far less likely to have negative feelings about their company if they work from home. Only 12.7% of remote employees expressed distaste with their employer, while 21.6% of in-office workers had negative feelings about work.
The Risk of Return-to-Office Mandates
The study didn’t just focus on how employees feel about remote work either. The research also dug into how employees react to return-to-office mandates, and let’s just say, the results are not great for those looking to get employees back to their commute.
According to the study, 41.4% of surveyed employees said they would start looking for a new job if they were asked to return to the office for five days a week, while 14.4% said that they would quit on the spot, leaving 44.3% that said they would comply.
Given that most businesses would probably see significant problems if more than half their staff decided it was time to move on, it’s safe to say that return-to-office mandates are not the way to go, particularly given the notable backlash that has taken place at business like Amazon and Dell.
The Value of Remote Work
Clearly, this study shows that remote work is a great for employees, but the reality is that remote work is also good for business owners when implemented.
In fact, our own productivity statistics show that remote work can increase revenue, improve productivity, and encourage employee retention. Remote work can even lower the carbon footprint of your business, if going green is a priority for your team.
All that to say, you might want to reconsider that return-to-office mandate, if only to make sure that your employees don’t leave your business.
