Over the last few years, remote working has become far more commonplace for businesses around the UK and the world. Earlier in 2023, it was reported that 44% of UK workers either work from home or are hybrid working – working both from home and in the office on certain days.
While this seems to be working, there is a question of whether this will really work for entrepreneurs. To start a business and make connections, the remote working model could potentially be seen as too isolating and secluded, with entrepreneurs unable to communicate their personalities or ideas over a screen.
But despite this, it seems that the next generation of entrepreneurs are embracing remote work, claiming it to be more conducive to a strong work culture, lower costs and more flexibility. So why exactly is this the case? Below, we’ll look at five key benefits of working from home and how that is helping the entrepreneurs of 2023.
Downtime Is Not A Dirty Word
There’s no two ways about it: building a business from scratch is stressful. While remote working, however, not only are you surrounded by home comforts, but you’re also given the freedom to navigate your own downtime. Remember, “downtime” is never a dirty word in business. In fact, it’s crucial for a healthy work-to-life balance. At the office, you’ll find little ways – or reasons – to do this.
Instead, you’ll want to maximise your working time and subsequently increase the risk of burnout. At home, if you want to log off for a bit, watch a Netflix show, or simply relax in the backyard, then it’s easier to do so. You are your own boss, after all, and working inside your own space will only make you a better boss.
Building Focus Around The Clock
When you are deep into your work, however, it is said to be far easier to maintain focus while working remotely. This is because you are building your own work culture and fitting that work into your life, rather than fitting your life into your work. As an entrepreneur, you can also feel more in control of what you’re doing, as well as what you’re streamlining your focus on.
Going International With Employees
While building your business, it’s also important to pick the best talent available to you. Entrepreneurs across the UK have previously been limited to picking talent based on their area, rather than their expertise. For instance, if you have set up offices in Bristol, you will need to find local Bristol talent to commute to your offices. With remote working, however, your talent is spread across the rest of the world.
In 2023, various software and platforms can centralise teams, help to instill uniformity of processes, and place the team in a virtual office environment. For instance, if you’re working from a spreadsheet with multiple colleagues, you can present the spreadsheet and talk through it at the same time. Software like this is typically used for websites and apps, where users can live stream and talk to one another while the stream is ongoing, but many variations can aid maximised connectivity, convenience, and efficiency.
Engagement Across The Board
With employees in mind, current UK entrepreneurs also believe that a remote structure to their company leads to a positive company culture overall. Employees working from home have a good work-to-life balance, just as you do, and they will feel more engaged and happy in their work as a result.
This will similarly lead to better productivity, intuitiveness, and less employee turnover – which will become very important when it comes to saving finances. That being said, it is up to you as the entrepreneur to ensure that is the case. While employees can be more engaged, they can also feel more isolated in a home environment. In this way, you have to not only be a transparent and authentic leader, you need to get your team together and unite them face-to-face. More than 1 in 4 entrepreneurs make sure to invest in team-building events and catch up with their team in person regularly, and this can go a long way to ensuring the work remains positive.
Cutting Costs From The Get Go
Lastly, as an entrepreneur, you’re going to want to cut costs as much as possible to survive your first few years. One of the most significant ways to do this is to cut off office rent and software costs – in other words, work from home! Without the need to rent offices, building a business in 2023 has never been more accessible. Just make sure you smooth out any potential remote working complications, and you will be on the right track to success.