Remote workers contribute an estimated £167 billion to the UK economy each year, a new study has revealed.

The study by Virgin Media surveyed 2,006 employees, and reports that the number of employees working from home has increased by 25% in the last five years.

The study, which coincides with the Advertising Standards Authority’s (ASA) consultation of the rules around broadband advertising, also revealed that the number of those working from home is expected to rise to 15.6 million by 2022.

UK employees will work from home for 10.2 billion hours this year, a 26% increase on 2012.

Kerris Bright, chief marketing officer at Virgin Media, said: “More people than ever are spending some of their working week at home, and our research shows that homeworkers depend on having a good broadband connection.

“As it consults on more robust broadband advertising rules, the ASA must consider Britain’s growing army of homeworkers, and require companies to advertise average speeds across a full day.”

Advantages of a remote team

The survey also reported that 58% of employees who do not currently work from home would like to work from home for at least one day a week.

If you’re considering allowing employees to work remotely, or you have an employee who is keen to give it a go, check out what benefits a remote working scheme could have for your company below.

Loyalty to your business

For those who would like to work at home, allowing them to do so will act as evidence of how much you value their contribution to the company.

With this in mind, it’s likely that they will reciprocate this with loyalty to the company. There have also been studies to show that employees working remotely feel as though they have more to prove when they’re not in the office, and as a result are more productive at home than when they are in the office.

Better work/life balance

For many office workers, remote working is the only valid option when balancing their work/home life.

This is especially true for your employees with children, who may require an employer who will allow flexible working in addition to working remotely in order to accommodate their home life. Being flexible with these options will allow your employees to have a healthier work/life balance, which will in turn have a positive impact on their work output.

New talent

A 2015 study by AfterCollege reported that 68% of millennial job seekers would have their interest in a specific employer greatly increased if they offered remote working as an option.

Offering remote working as a small business will give you an advantage over larger companies when it comes to recruiting. Consider this the next time you pop a job advertisement out!

Do you allow your employees to work remotely? Or do you find it easier when everyone’s in one place? Leave your comments in the section below or strike up a conversation with us on Twitter or Facebook!