5 Benefits of Hiring Remote Workers
5 Benefits of Hiring Remote Workers
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| Remote Workers Photo by Anete Lusina: pexels.com |
Remote workers feel more productive
Employees who work from home are just as productive, if not more so, than their colleagues in the office. don't believe me A Global Workplace Analytics survey shows that 24% of remote workers are able to complete more tasks in a given time than traditional office workers. While there are certainly distractions for remote workers, they don't have to deal with last-minute meetings, break room chatter, or other unavoidable office routines. There is also a level of responsibility that remote workers feel that drives them to be more productive than in an office environment. Oftentimes, it is employee hours that are most beneficial to their workflow, allowing them to see how and when they are most productive.
To save money
With office space and real estate being the biggest savings, companies with distributed teams can save an average of $10,000 per year per employee by allowing them to work from home. Money spent on real estate can be reallocated to pay for technology and communication tools to keep employees connected throughout the day. These tools are still significantly cheaper than physical offices and enhance employee connectivity and office culture. Things like office supplies, furniture and fixtures are also big expenses that drop significantly when working with remote teams.
Businesses save not only money, but also employees. Without having to pay for transportation, gas, or increased car maintenance, telecommuters can save more than $4,000 per year compared to office employees.
Improved employee health and welfare
Long commutes are also associated with increased worker stress and are a major cause of early departures or job transfers in search of cheaper jobs. Not to mention that commuting has negative health effects caused by an excessively sedentary lifestyle, increased anxiety, and low mood, all of which can affect work culture and overall employee happiness. Because happy employees are more productive than dissatisfied employees. Loss of productivity significantly damages company morale and overall profits in terms of revenue, growth, and employee turnover.
Access to a global talent pool
If your talent search isn't limited to one area, the talent pool opens up exponentially. Companies with distributed teams have access to the best workforce in the world. Your location doesn't necessarily affect the hiring process and employers avoid expensive moving costs for the company and employees. This is a huge advantage for start-ups and small businesses. Selecting the right people for your team is critical in the early stages, and limiting your search to one geographic area severely limits your access to qualified and talented candidates.
Remote teams have lower turnover
Staff turnover is a huge expense for employers. The average price for replacing a lost employee is about 20% of the employee's salary. Not to mention the time they devote to training, orientation and learning how the company works and its culture.
In a recent survey, 95% of employees said remote work had a positive impact on employee retention and their willingness to stay on the job.
Remote work may not work for everyone, and it's important to build a team that values independence, productivity, and self-discipline. You want to build a self-sustaining team that can drive projects and meet deadlines easily without the need for micro-management. For the right company, and with the right policies and procedures, there's no reason why remote work isn't working for organizations to reap the many benefits of hiring a fully distributed team.
