Answer your emails while you’re lying in a hammock, avoid the annoying traffic, work your day job in your PJs – you’ve heard the several benefits of working from home (they’re all true!), right?
Ever since the world went into lockdown because of the pandemic, going to work for several employees in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines means getting out of bed, strolling to a kitchen table, and firing up their laptops. Forget the office attire and forget the small talk, they manage their gigs from home.
Employment on the whole has changed because of COVID-19 and the new normal has introduced every employee to a flexible job arrangement and employers to a remote workforce. The market conditions in ASEAN countries haven’t been any different either. Members of the labor force are relentlessly looking for job opportunities in Malaysia that ditch the 9 to 5 tradition, while members of the gigs economy (consultants, self-employed, freelancers, and contractors) have become the fastest-growing facet of the workforce.

But with that said, it seems like employers in the ASEAN countries are starting to like the change too! So without further ado, we’re listing the most impactful benefits of working from home for employees and employers.

The Benefits of Remote Work for Employees

1. A Healthy Work-Life Balance

Some job opportunities in Malaysia and Singapore give the workers the benefit of having a flexible job. This means they can start and end their job whenever they want to as long as they’re getting the work done. As long as the employee continues to meet their goal, the employer won’t micro-manage!

This control can be highly beneficial for a person when they’re tending to the needs of their personal life. Whether you’re trying to balance your school schedule, a medical appointment, or completing a course online, everything can be a lot easier when you’re working from home.

2. Lesser Commute, Lesser Stress

With time, the long hours you spend commuting from home to work add to your stress, and according to research, can have detrimental effects on your mental health. Research has shown that constant stress caused by commute can lead to health-related issues like:

• Higher cholesterol

• Increased blood sugar levels

• Higher chance of depression

3. Freedom of Location

Another prominent advantage of working from home is being able to work from any location you want to. This can be especially important for a job seeker living in a rural area that does not have many job opportunities. Having no defined location also meant that a remote employee could live as a digital nomad before the pandemic. But obviously, because of the travel restrictions that came with the pandemic, that is no longer possible.

But as things start to open up again, this can be a fine perk! Additionally, working remotely is another brilliant way to avoid expensive cities like Malaysia. In the past, if a person wanted a great job, they had to move to a specific city and pay high rent just so they could progress professionally.

But that is no longer necessary!

The Benefits of Remote Work for Employers

1. Recruiting is Easy

If you let your employees work remotely in Singapore, you’ll be able to attract a more talented pool of employees. But how is that possible?

Firstly, since you’re letting your employees work remotely and there is no defined working space, you can hire employees from all over the world. This means that your talent pool is limitless and this will be particularly useful when you’re trying to fill those tricky roles. Secondly, remote work also means that you’ll attract employees easily.

That’s because almost every employee would want to work from the comfort of their home even after the pandemic. Even before COVID-19 became a global problem, working from home was offered as a benefit to the most talented employees.

2. Improved Retention

Another benefit of a flexible job is the ability to retain talent for longer periods of time. Remember, attracting an employee doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be able to retain them! “Job hopping” was considered a red flag a decade ago, but with the current generation of the labor force, it has become the new normal.

According to the BLS Employee Tenure summary, workers of the new generation have a shorter tenure and get bored quickly. Latest research suggests that 73% of all employees are open to new positions, and the rest, 33%, are actively trying to switch!

Here’s some further proof:

1. 52% of all organizations stated that a flexible job improves retention (source: Condecosoftware)

2. Remote work is one of the most effective non-monetary ways of retaining an employee.

Remote Work Trends You Can Expect to See in 2021

Even though it would be nice to imagine that things will be going back to normal again, but yet again, another year will require major transitions. Remote work has changed a lot, but there are still some additional trends you can expect to see come 2021 in employment:

1. Employers will focus a lot more on their employee’s working experience

2. Additional Regulations will limit how an employee is monitored

3. Location flexibility might go away, but flexibility pertaining to time will stick

4. Leading companies will purchase the COVID-19 vaccine in bulk for employees

Wrapping Up

2020 was the most unpredictable year in modern history. But with that said, you would be mistaken if you thought the disruption was over. To ensure the rigidity involved in your day job doesn’t stop you from making a decent living, check out gigs and flexible jobs on Gigple. The Gigple platform allows you to customize your job search completely according to every necessary facet.

If you’re an employer, we can ensure you’ll get what you pay for. Sign up today and embark on a journey to find the most talented employees!