Updated: 30 June 2021
When COVID-19 forced agencies all over the world to send their copywriters home to work virtually, remote copywriting experienced a big moment. Whether you are one of the many freelancers (or now, agency copywriters) already working remotely or are possibly weighing up the options of searching for a remote job, you may find these 10 benefits of remote copywriting, and working from home in general, insightful.
Pandemic Productivity
The pandemic-enforced rush to give copywriters access to all the tools they’d require to work remotely was perhaps a bit sudden for many employers but, after everyone settled in, it became apparent, to many office-based teams, that copywriters could be as productive and focused when not in the office – in many cases even more so. Employers everywhere began to understand that remote positions really can work.
What will agency copywriting look like in a post-COVID-19 world? Are agencies already going back to “business as usual”, requiring their copywriters to complete their copy on-site, or has the pandemic been a tipping point that will convince employers that flexible copywriting is the way to go for the long haul?
Remote work has a host of advantages for copywriters, and those in many other industries. Some of the following points might already be apparent to you while others may open your eyes to the value that remote work can hold for employers, employees, the economy and, indeed, the planet. Let’s investigate the 10 benefits of remote copywriting further:-
01. A Better Work/Life Balance
Remote copywriting comes with more flexible schedules, meaning that you can begin and end your day as you choose – as long as your workload gets completed and deadlines are met. Control over a work schedule can be invaluable when it comes to attending to the needs of a personal life. Whether you’re balancing school schedules, medical appointments and various errands, attending an online fitness class in the morning, or even being at home for a contractor’s visit, these can all be carried out more easily when you work from home.
02. Less Commuting Stress
In the majority of cases, you spend over an hour per day commuting to and from work. This travelling time really adds up, but wasting your precious time in a vehicle is only one of the downsides of getting to the office and back. More than half-an-hour of daily, one-way commuting is statistically associated with increased stress and anxiety levels. In turn, these are connected to health issues including higher cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and an increased risk of depression.
Your mental and physical health is less at risk if you’re not travelling daily, especially in peak hour traffic. If you add the time you save by not commuting and the potential you have for higher creativity and inspiration levels, the likelihood is that your general productivity and work quality levels will soar. This allows you to focus more on priorities outside of work – perhaps getting an extra 30 minutes of sleep in the morning, spending more time with your family, sneaking in a quick workout and eating a healthy breakfast.
03. Location Independence
One of the considerable benefits of remote work is having access to a broader range of job opportunities not limited to a specific geographic location. This is especially beneficial to copywriters living in small communities, where local positions are limited. Having no set job location means that you can travel and live as a “digital nomad” if you choose, whilst still having a stable and meaningful career.
You may want to travel or have to move frequently. For example, your life partner may travel for work or you may be involved with somebody in the military. As such, being remotely employed can benefit you as your job can be done from anywhere with a decent internet connection – your chances of work stability are hence increased. You would not have to start over at new companies with each relocation.
Additionally, remote work assists in being able to avoid living in high-rent areas, especially for positions that traditionally require you residing in a city with a high cost of living. With remote work you would no longer be forced to live near a major metropolitan area in order to have a stable career that you love. Copywriting in the country – quite a pleasant thought!
04. Improved Inclusivity
Remote work affords agencies more opportunities to embrace diversity and inclusion by being able to hire copywriters from different socio-economic, geographic, and cultural backgrounds, and with different perspectives. This is more challenging to accomplish when recruitment is restricted to a specific locale that not everyone wants, or can afford, to live near. With the option of hiring copywriters who can work from home in communities where they feel most comfortable and supported, agencies can choose to support diversity, community, and family more.
Remote work also gives those who might struggle to find steady employment at an on-site job the chance to follow their career goals without worrying about commuting or missing essential appointments. You might have a disability or be caring for a sick loved one. With a more flexible schedule you’d be able to make doctor’s appointments when necessary, and save on annoying expenses.
05. Money Saving
You can save money by working from home. The costs for fuel and vehicle maintenance, transportation costs, parking fees, professional wardrobe expenses, lunch money and more can all be reduced, or eliminated from your spending entirely. These all add up and keep more money in your pocket.
Savings aren’t limited to copywriters either. Agencies could experience significant long-term cost reductions like rentals or real estate costs, and other overheads such as electricity and cleaning, by moving from offices to a remote set-up.
06. Positive Environmental Impact
The large number of copywriters and other employees worldwide that currently work from home reduce greenhouse gas emissions due to their lack of commuting. Environmentally sound choices like using less paper and monitoring air conditioning, and heating and lighting costs, mean that remote workers in general could potentially have the same impact on air quality as planting an entire forest of millions of trees would.
07. Impact on Sustainability
Remote work supports a variety of sustainability initiatives, from economic growth and reduced inequalities to sustainable cities, climate change, and responsible consumption. A quick and economical way for an employer and a workforce to reduce carbon footprints and affect climate changes is by reducing travel. During the pandemic, our world is already seeing markedly reduced pollution, congestion and traffic. Being able to experience these results first hand may be decisive in supporting future remote work on a grand scale.
08. A Customisable Office
Imagine creating a comfortable full-time home office in a manner that makes you most at ease while writing? This is an excellent benefit of remote work. Whether you simply want a more ergonomic chair, or have health issues that can lead to a need for more specialised office equipment, the decision would be yours alone to make.
09. Increased Productivity and Performance
We’ve briefly touched on productivity and performance levels already but, pre-pandemic, a large number of professionals had already agreed that they’d be more productive working remotely than in a traditional office environment. Many were already going home when they really needed to buckle down and get work done.
Working from home leads to fewer interruptions, less office politics, a quieter noise level, and fewer meetings. Meetings, when held online, are generally more efficiently handled. When you add the lack of commuting to these factors, you typically have more time and fewer distractions when working from home. This, in turn, leads to increased productivity – a huge benefit of working from home for you and your employer.
When done correctly, remote work allows you and your agency the opportunity to focus on what really matters – performance. The office environment can often create “false positives” that can lead to bias and favouritism. For instance, coming in early and leaving late may appear like you’re doing more work, but your actual performance is a much better indicator of your productivity.
10. A Happier, Healthier Working Life
You will find that remote, flexi-time copywriting creates more happiness with, and loyalty to, your employer. Lower stress levels, and more personal time, improve business and personal relationships, among other things.
In addition to personal health and well-being, copywriter and manager relationships will tend to be more positive without the distractions and politics that go with an in-office job. Plainly put, you are more likely to stick with your position if your remote working environment is more settled and comfortable than your office one was.
Copywriting from home also leads to better health in a number of ways: you have more time for physical activity, the ability to eat healthier, the ability to recover from illness or surgery at home, less exposure to illnesses, ease of caring for a health issue or disability, and the option to create a comfortable and ergonomic workspace. These, in turn, allow for enhanced creativity and motivation. Working remotely allows both you and your agency the time and environment needed to make healthy choices.
A New Way Forward?
Though the COVID-19 pandemic may have been a catalyst for remote work for thousands of copywriters and millions of other employees around the world, it is far from being the only reason to work from home. The 10 benefits of remote copywriting can impact so many things on a global scale, when applied to other industries as well. It certainly appears to be a viable and sustainable path forward for business in general.
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