We have all seen the lengths some companies go to provide ‘perks’ for their staff. For example, the gimmicky office designs that cost a fortune to set up. Here’s some of the craziest I’ve come across:
- Golf simulators
- A private amusement park
- Round the clock gourmet meals
- Office slides
- Office go karts and indoor race track
- Company music room, equipped with guitars, drums, keyboards and more
- Tree house
- Fireman’s pole
- Outside shooting range
- Tattoo parlour
I even read at one point Dropbox was spending $25,000 per employee, per year on perks. That’s bonkers! I understand the point is to stimulate creativity, increase staff morale and retention and ultimately improve productivity, but hasn’t this gone a bit too far?I wonder whether this could actually be doing more harm then good. In fact, one study found that the number of people who say they cannot concentrate at their desk has increased by 16 percent since 2008. Also startlingly: the number of workers who say they do not have access to quiet places to do focused work is up by 13 percent. At Cognitive Law we believe it should not matter where work is being done – as long as our solicitors and clients are happy, it could be done anywhere. We have built our company up on giving consultants the opportunity to work where they want and when they want. And it’s working for us. In fact, many studies demonstrate the power of remote working on productivity. Here are three reasons why remote workers outperform office workers:
Productivity
With no office distractions – committee meetings, report writing, tedious office politics (emails about who’s stolen who’s special mug bought for them by their Grandma, who left the cheese in the fridge that is now 3 weeks out of date and gassing out everyone else’s lunch with a rather unpleasant smell.) With greater autonomy, our consultants have the freedom to get more done. This is something most people crave. According to a nationwide survey, 65 percent of workers said that remote work would give their productivity a boost. Another 86 percent said that working alone allows them to hit maximum productivity.
Teamwork
Despite the distance and what you might think, remote workers make the best teammates. This is because that distance demands more communication. Without being able to lean on physical proximity, remote workers must reach out to one another frequently and with purpose. This leads to stronger collaboration and camaraderie. This follows on from my point before, each communication is with a purpose to achieve something, it’s not idle chit chat about who watched ‘I’m a Celebrity’ last night, which does little for productivity.
Presence
Office life is littered with absences – workers who are calling in sick or sneaking out early to run an errand or get to an event on time. But consultants at Cognitive Law do not need to make excuses. Since they are not tied to an office, they can schedule their workday to meet the demands of their lives. If they have a cold, they can work from home without spreading the germs to others. And if they need to run an errand, they can handle it quickly without losing a workday. This ultimately makes our consultants more present for their work and team.
These are just a few of the reasons why we believe flexible, remote working is the most effective model for our business. Our consultants are able to cut through the noise and focus on what really matters: meaningful work and being happy doing it.
#BeCognitive