By allowing staff to work from home, British businesses could be saving tens of thousands from energy costs, and passing bills to employees.
Simply put, businesses that allow employees to work from home could be saving tens of thousands in energy costs per year, according to a new analysis which takes into account average commercial electricity and gas costs.
Conducted by Moneyzine.com, the study found that businesses with between 50 and 100 members of staff could save £41,860 on appliance-related costs through remote working models.
Each employee would cost £418.60 annually just through their appliances, such as laptops, printers, and kettles, while bills associated with other fixed energy uses – heating, lighting, shared appliances – is thought to be around £2,700 per year.
Unsurprisingly, larger organisations stand to gain the most monetarily, but also have the highest cost-per-head for energy needs. A sole trader, for example, would spend £1.61 per week on appliances, while a single worker in an office of 50 would incur weekly charges of £161 through the same activities.
‘There’s no clear answer when it comes to the debate on returning to the office full-time. Many workers are keen to redefine what their work-life balance should look like in 2024,’ said Luke Eales of Moneyzine.
‘Pursuing roles that offer working from home is now part of that decision for most office workers. There are serious savings to be made from downsizing in office space – not just rent, but also less obvious costs like energy & utilities,’ he continued. ‘Our findings may help persuade employers that WFH might really be a win-win.’
However, it’s worth noting that although working from home is often considered popular with employees, they may actually be losing out on such arrangements. Research from Octopus Energy shows that when Ofgen increased the energy price cap in October 2021, home-based staff were left with around £90 of monthly charges that would otherwise have been covered by their employers, cost that have risen significantly since the study, while wages have failed to keep up with inflation.
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