Remote Work Contributing to Growing and Happier Families
By Space Coast Daily // March 14, 2023
America’s declining birth rate experienced a spike in 2022, two years after the pandemic, which means that these babies weren’t made during the lockdowns and there are circulating theories that it could be due to the change in the approaches to work which has made people want to settle down and have children, or maybe it could simply be because people are generally happier.
Do happy employees make better parents?
There’s no denying that remote workers are much happier when compared to those who have been forced to go back to the office or participate in a hybrid model. There are numerous studies that back up this data, and the fact is that when you’re happy, you’re keener to do new things and try new experiences. Someone who is constantly suffering from burnout would be less likely to change their lifestyle because they are too tired to do so. However, someone who is happy would face challenges head-on, which may be one of the reasons why the number of babies is booming.
An office-centric lifestyle offers no family security
Sure, you might be bringing home the bacon, but you won’t be there for your baby’s firsts, and in a world that is becoming more hands-on, relishing in the human experience, many people would much rather pass over having a baby than abandoning it to a nanny while they work. Thanks to remote work, however, there’s been a distinct shift and people realize that they would be able to be present for their child without having to sacrifice the income that offers them the financial stability to actually have a child in the first place. In fact, working remotely has been reported to save up to $4000 USD per year on commuting alone. When you factor in the number of takeouts and meals you have at cafes and restaurants, the amount may even double.
Remote work means savings all around
Aside from commuting and lunches, working from home means that parents are around to take care of the child, which will also remove the need to spend on a babysitter or full-time caretaker for their child. Effectively, this means that they are saving money by working remotely. Working remotely or even managing a remote workforce means that you can set your own hours and sneak into work when your child is sleeping. It sounds like the perfect life, to be able to be present for your family, and spend free time working, instead of being absent because you’re working all the time.
Kids are also much healthier when they have two present parents
Having two working parents has become the norm and children are often entrusted to childcare or grandparents. When parents are home, they are so engrossed in their own respective careers and responsibilities that they hardly have enough time for their children.
With remote work, employees are able to organize their schedules accordingly and meet the needs of their children, leading to healthier and happier childhoods.
Regardless of whether the baby boom is due to the prevalence of rising trends of remote working, the facts are there: remote workers are far more fulfilled than conventional 9-to-5ers.
Whether they decide to spend their flexible hours on raising a child or living abroad, people are now free to choose what they want to do with their life instead of spending it all in the office, which could quite possibly be why they are so much happier.
