The Benefits Of Remote Work Set-up And Why It's Here To Stay

New Zealand’s shift to remote work set-up is likely to stay, according to the New Zealand Consumer Broadband Behavioural Survey released in October 2020. It was headed by Venture Insights and commissioned by Chorus. This is a follow-up study on the one made in April, aimed to measure the changes in consumer behaviour due to COVID-19. 

The study revealed that most of the workforce is still working from home, even as the country comes out of restrictions and lockdowns. But, why?  Why is New Zealand — one of the first countries to win the fight against COVID-19 — not returning to ‘normal?’ Why are employers completely shifting to remote work set-up?

Take a look at some of the reasons why remote work set-up is here to stay.

Increased productivity at home

Remote work set-up will stay because companies found it effective. As home isn’t perceived as a conducive environment to work, most employers were hesitant to let their employees do remote work at the start of the outbreak. However, workers perform better — even better than when they work from the office. 

This increased productivity is particularly apparent in the telecommunications, financial, and insurance sectors.  Of course, this doesn’t speak for all kinds of jobs. Some workers decline in their productivity rates when they start working from home. This is true for energy, utilities, and education industries.

Larger labour market for companies

Remote work set-up isn’t only beneficial for employees, but for employers as well. When they hire people to work in the office, they must consider the location of their employees. This is to ensure workers can report to work on time and not cause any damage to the company. However, they don’t need to consider this when they hire people to work from their home.

This widens the geographic reach of companies when looking for talented workers. Even when their office is located in Auckland, they can hire people in Christchurch and Dunedin. What’s more, they can hire talented people offshore! It doesn’t matter if you’re located in the US, UK, or Australia, they can hire you because you can simply work from home, for as long as you have a reliable internet connection.

Compare, switch, save: Find the best Broadband provider in your area!

More cost-efficient for workers

One of the biggest benefits of working from home is not having to worry about transportation fees, be it in the form of public transport or petrol. You can save on living expenses too! Living near your workplace — which is most likely located in big cities — can cause a fortune. Luckily, this isn’t much of a problem when working from home.

As long as you have access to the right tools and equipment, you can complete tasks and be productive just the same. You can move to a location with cheaper cost of living, but still get compensated at competitive rates. This saves you from expensive living costs, including food, housing, clothing, transportation, among others.

Widespread economic growth

More companies employ remote work set-up because it spreads economic growth in rural areas. As workers aren’t concentrated in big cities anymore, more local businesses can benefit from a surge of new markets in their location. Working from home shortens the gap between urban and rural divides.

In line with this, talented Kiwis — who have previously moved to big cities for better work opportunities — can move back in their hometowns. They can help with the development of knowledge and innovation in small towns. In return, this can attract future businesses to invest in rural areas instead of bigger cities.

Improved communication technology

Thanks to improved communication technology, remote work set-up can stay for good. This includes a wide range of video conferencing and online communication services like Zoom, Google Meet, Skype, Microsoft Teams, Slack, and more. There are also plenty of productivity-based software that monitors how workers perform. Some of the best examples are Asana, Top Tracker, and G Suite.

This technology software won’t work without a reliable broadband. Fortunately, leading NZ providers are also stepping up their game since the pandemic started. Their broadband services are now up-to-par to the world’s best, and its coverage has widened too. Even Kiwis in rural and remote areas can now advantage of ultra-fast fibre — with some even taking advantage of hyperfibre!

Are you willing to continue working from home? We'd love to hear your thoughts! Make sure you have the right broadband plan that fits your needs. Be productive and finish your tasks seamlessly!

Get the best broadband plan in NZ by comparing your best choices, right here at glimp!