Study finds scientific proof of remote work benefits

Many business officials in Ohio have likely become at least somewhat attuned to what cloud computing is, and why it has been such a pressing topic in industry discourse. But, while it may be apparent that cloud technology is effective for data backup and restoration in the case of an emergency, it may be less obvious how a cloud program can change a business model completely.

For example, because cloud technology allows a business' employees to access the information necessary to complete their jobs from anywhere at anytime, the opportunity for remote work becomes a legitimate possibility.

This can sound rather enticing in theory. Because employees are undertaking their duties outside the office on their own devices, companies can save a significant amount of funds on energy and hardware costs. And from a staff perspective, they can enjoy greater flexibility in their schedule, potentially raising morale and enabling greater operational efficiency.

But, deploying cloud technology to enable remote work may be a hard sell for employers based on the less-than-concrete reasoning described above. Luckily for proponents of remote work though, researchers at Stanford University in collaboration with a major Chinese travel agency designed a scientifically-sound study to determine whether the practice was actually beneficial.

After enabling 255 employees (selected based on a satisfactory home office setup and clean work record) of the 12,00 person agency to work from home, the researchers determined the following: "After a few weeks of the experiment, it was clear that the telecommuters were performing better than their counterparts in the office. They took more calls (it was quieter and there were fewer distractions at home) and worked more hours (they lost less time to late arrivals and sick breaks) and more days (fewer sick days). This translated into greater profits for the company,"

Considering these results, businesses in Ohio seeking the benefits of remote work can turn to a Cincinnati IT support firm that can provide cloud computing solutions.