The covid-19-fuelled shift to remote work will come with valuable benefits and painful challenges in equal measure. For instance, the greater convenience of working from home appeals to nearly everyone. You no longer worry about getting stuck in traffic or living next to the office building.
On the other hand, isolation, procrastination, and team communication challenges may negate some benefits. Security is another big challenge.
Impact on Wages
One of the big questions employees are now asking is the potential impact on wages. Can the average worker expect a better wage working remotely? Or will things remain the same, or perhaps get worse?
Grit Daily recently broke down the numbers, and although it won’t be all rosy, there could be happy days ahead.
Findings
First, remote work effectively eliminates commute, meaning workers can save a little on that front. According to the US Bureau of Labor, the average US worker spends $1,249 on transportation, fuel, and automobile maintenance per year to get to and from work. This is equivalent to 2% of the average US salary. Telecommuting workers can save this money. Telecommuters also don’t need to move to expensive metropolises to live close to work, which presents another cost-saving opportunity.
Check out the infographic below to find out several other ways remote work could impact the average wage and wage gap.
