Following the 2020 global health pandemic, a wealth of businesses were forced to close their premises and find ways for their staff to work from home. Many people also took the pandemic as a chance to reflect on their work-life balance and, in response, there has been a rise in the number of people now looking to work from home to avoid the hassle of commuting and the restrictions of working in a shared office.

Advances in technology have had a significant impact on the ease of working from home - video and conference calls via platforms such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams, have meant people are able to stay in touch and manage meetings from their home offices. Moreover, quick and easy communication such as sending emails can all be done remotely and reduce the costs of renting or buying premises, saving businesses money in the long term.

Research conducted by Statistics Canada found that four in ten Canadian workers could plausibly do their job from home. Wider benefits for increasing the number of people working from home include less traffic congestion and air pollution, as well as the potential for more people to be able to access learning online and jobs which do not require them to travel. For franchisees interested in working from home, there are a wealth of options available to them.

Deciding on which sector to invest in will come down to your budget, experience and interests. Some franchises will only require a computer and the internet, others might involve managing and dispatching stock, which means an area to store products will be vital. Whether you are interested in marketing, sales, financial roles or people-oriented work, there is a working from home franchise possibility waiting to be explored.

Working From Home Industry Analysis

There are a huge variety of options available for franchisees who are interested in working from home. Working from home has many benefits, especially as you will be able to choose your hours to suit your lifestyle - for those franchisees who have other commitments to manage around work, a 9-5 office job (plus commuting time) can be impractical and difficult to manage. Remote working provides much-needed flexibility, which in turn has a positive impact on productivity.

If you thrive in a busy work environment or enjoy being around people, then it would be worth considering how much your chosen business model involves communicating and engaging with other people. For some people, working from home means they are less able to relax in their home or end up working more hours than they would in an office. For the right franchisee, however, working from home can be a positive experience with a wealth of benefits with regards to work-life balance as well as reducing time and money spent on commuting.