In this digital age – companies are focused on cutting overheard and ways to increase employee productivity and their overall bottom line.  Professionals are constantly seeking a better work-life balance and companies have adopted flexible policies to accommodate shifting workplace priorities and realities the working from home option is becoming increasingly viable.  I’ve spent the past nineteen years working in the information technology industry where working from home is part of your normal work environment / capacity.  Working from home is a dream for many but it has its pitfalls. Employees see this as an ideal means to remain in the workforce, while enjoying all the advantages of being based at home.

A key component is your broadband connection.  It’s not even a question – when you’re a Verizon Fios customer. Issues experienced at a cable provider such as upload speed, latency and data limits are not even a factor w/your Verizon fiber optic network.  You can work from home – while video conferencing, sharing larger files online, interactive learning, online gaming – as well as advanced “cloud computing” that involves ongoing communication between your computer and the web.

Here are a few advantages of working from home.

By working at home you save on many hidden costs associated with going to work. These include costs of commuting, automobile wear and tear, fuel, and indirect costs such as purchasing expensive professional wardrobes and maintaining it.

Flexibility

This doesn’t just relate to timings either although the flexibility to determine your own work hours to some extent is the most important aspect of this. You can also determine your environment, lighting, temperature, setting; basically work in the framework that suits you best and makes you happiest and most productive.

Less distractions

Co-worker water cooler banter and distractions, unnecessary interruptions, unimportant meetings can all be avoided if you are safely at home and sealed off in your own environment which you have barricaded from any possible interruptions.

Proximity to home and family

For many, the physical proximity to family and the convenience of being at home are tremendously comforting. For parents it can be especially pacifying to know that they are very near to their children and available should they be needed for any reason. This also applies in the case of elderly care.

Less stress

The stress of commuting in bumper-to-bumper traffic at rush hour in many countries is extremely counterproductive and can lead to disgruntled workers who are already exhausted and worn before they have even begun their day. This is especially true where the workplace is far from the office. Other stresses often cited include unfriendly coworkers, a suboptimal work environment and constant distractions.

More productivity

Removed from the stresses and distractions of the workplace and working independently in their own preferred environment at their own pace, professionals are often a lot happier and a lot more productive.  The catch twenty-two remains that you must watch your hours – because you tend to work longer hours – when working remotely.

Better health

I can testify my Long Island Rail Road commutes are anywhere from 2.5 to 3.5 hours a day spent getting to and from the workplace both impact your physical and mental health.  It’s been said – first routine you forfeit is your gym hours – due to the stresses associated with both the commute and the workplace itself. By working at home the commuting time saved enables you to resume physical exercise, or going for a long walk to clear your head.

Better work/life balance

Work/life balance, the aspiration of the modern professional, is often achieved and tuned to satisfaction through a working at home arrangement, particularly when a professional has the flexibility to report into the office and work from the office partially as an option and can fine-tune the arrangement to achieve the most optimal balance.

I’m so glad that I made the switch to Verizon Fios because BetterMatters!!!

….and you should too!!!

#FIOSNY

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post as a part of a campaign I’m doing with Verizon FiOS in New York.