Vikram AhujaIn recent years, remote work arrangements have become the new standard for many organizations. By 2024, remote workers will account for 32% of all employees worldwide. As we transition out of the pandemic, businesses across various industries are making remote work the status quo, by choice more than compulsion.
And you can’t blame them.
Whether it’s better productivity or superior retention, remote hires are running the future of work. If you’re contemplating hiring remote workers, here are 8 reasons why you shouldn’t wait any longer.
Increased productivity
Surveys show that 85% of companies report better productivity from remote employees. Furthermore, 77% of employees say they work better remotely.
A remote hire doesn’t need to commute to the. This minimizes the chances of any delay and bolsters focus. They won’t be distracted by their coworkers and can concentrate on their tasks. Having greater control over their workday and being able to work according to their schedules enables employees to be substantially more productive.
Greater employee satisfaction
Studies say 58% of workers would be ready to leave their job for a remote option. A massive 74% of employees would stay with their company if they kept working remotely.
Having the option to work remotely enables professionals to achieve a better work-life balance, which in turn improves their general well-being. Flexible schedules and the ability to work from home gives employees better control of their workday – this is especially beneficial for primary caregivers like working mothers.
Cost-effective
Office lease/rent obligations can be quite expensive, especially in the time of recession. Other overhead expenditures like furnishings, cleaning, and office equipment all increase the price. And that’s not it. Setting up workstations, arranging for electricity as well as internet and civic amenities require a continual monetary investment. The general upkeep and maintenance of an on-site workstation tend to get exorbitant!
Workers themselves are more likely to save employers money through remote employment. A Glassdoor survey found that 30% of employees would trade pay raises for an option to work remotely. Dell also saved a whopping $39.5M since 2014 through flexible working solutions!
Access to a better talent pool
A firm’s chances of interacting with potential employees who have the skills and expertise the company requires are increased as recruiters now have access to skilled talent without the barrier of geographical limitations.
Additionally, many job searchers are eager to pursue companies from outside of their immediate area. A study found that more than half of them are interested in obtaining entirely remote jobs with businesses headquartered in other cities or states, as this helps them increase their salary without an increase in the cost of living.
Recruiting locally is constrained to the skill you can find in the neighborhood in which the office is located, or incur relocation costs. For companies who are not located in big cities, this means the number of talented individuals you can hire is much lower and you have a hard time competing for those candidates that enjoy the big city life
Better time management
By eliminating lengthy trips to and from work, employees’ quality of life is improved. Employees who don’t commute to work or attend offline meetings can save up to 5 hours daily!
Many prospective workers find remote employment enticing because of this. So much so that 67% of employees say the biggest perk of remote work is choosing how to spend their time.
Increased agility & scalability
Businesses across all sectors would not have been able to maintain operations throughout the pandemic without remote labor. Because they are aware that a remote work model will enable them to develop and keep the competent staff they will need to thrive in the post-pandemic market, many businesses are now eager to implement it on a long-term basis.
Building a scalable remote workforce may position firms to better meet the difficulties of expansion, despite the intimidating nature of developing a company with locations scattered over several cities, states, and even other nations.
Distributed teams and conventional outsourcing techniques are frequently confused by traditional organizations and executives. But today, more than half of all businesses employ remote work as a norm, including well-known brands like Github, Automattic, Invision, and Buffer.
Ease of global expansion
Businesses that had previously explored some sort of digital transformation at the beginning of the pandemic were able to transition to all-remote work fast and quite efficiently. They could sustain an “anywhere workforce” and easily recruit more remote workers as needed since they had relevant virtual collaboration and communication technologies in place. Entering new markets became easier as companies could now set up remote teams and employ local talent.
Many firms have been able to enhance productivity, foster creativity, and expand their worldwide reach with new goods and services thanks to the acceleration of the future of employment and the complete adoption of the remote model — and this amid a period of intense business instability, no less.
Reduced carbon footprint
Working from home just one or two days a week can help cut down on the number of vehicles on the road, which in turn minimizes traffic jams, the amount of wear on the road, and greenhouse gas emissions. If 3.9 million people would work remotely just half the time, they would cut greenhouse gas emissions by the same amount as eliminating 600,000 vehicles off the road for a year!
Commercial buildings are getting more energy-efficient, but lighting, heating, and cooling still consume a lot of energy. Removing all that means a reduced Carbon footprint, and a better means to achieve your CSR goals.
Better employee retention
74% of employees say that they’re less likely to leave their current job if given the ability to work remotely.
This is because working remotely gives employees flexibility and autonomy on what to do with their free time. Having a better work-life balance is extremely important for any employee to be happier and more productive. Hiring remotely helps employees do just that.
Common challenges with remote work
Everything has its pros and cons, and remote work isn’t any different. For those new to hiring remotely or working remotely, there will be a few common problems. Whether it’s adapting to the new changes or having clear communication, what matters is how to get around the issues to get the best of remote teams.
Time zone differences
Employees can explore cultural differences, share ideas, and gain a wealth of knowledge by collaborating with a transnational team.
However, because the team will be operating in various time zones, coordinating might be difficult. Working with a global remote team could cause a delay in obtaining replies, overall communication, and decreased engagement with the team. Working with teams with a little overlap in working times is recommended.
Employee distractions
While working remotely, it’s easy to become sidetracked by even the simplest distractions, such as smartphones, social media, or simply the persistent temptation to get up and move about. Goals can get sidelines as a result.
Much like working at a physical office, setting up a dedicated workspace enables remote workers to minimize distractions and increase productivity.
Communication
Collaboration amongst distant teams is the most typical issue that disturbs workflow. How, for instance, can a group of designers collaborate on a single project when they are dispersed throughout the nation or the globe? Team members may engage with files, products, projects, and one another without any practical restrictions if they meet in the same office.
However, remote teams are quite constrained, and even collaborating on the same text presents difficulties. The good news is that there is a tonne of collaboration tools available that can assist in removing those hurdles to remote co-working, just like there are for project management software. Tools like Miro, Google docs, and Canva enable different members of a remote team to collaborate simultaneously.
Building company culture
Without a feeling of community between team members, working can get monotonous and a lack of trust would eventually lead to friction. The greatest thing to do here is to develop a set of common values, goals, and strategies. While it’s a good start to articulate them, it is also important that the entire team also practices the same culture and core values.
A culturally enriched and responsive team is more cohesive. They’ll work better together and get work done in a superior and timely manner. They build the brand and culture of the organization altogether as well.
Future = Remote.
The number of people working remotely weekly has risen a mind-boggling 400% from 2010. The remote hiring process is simple & easy, not to mention highly cost-effective. As we’ve already seen, there are numerous unquestionable benefits of hiring remote workers.
Recruit remote workers to see just how much they can do for you. Not only does remote working allow your employees satisfaction, but it also opens up the gate to scalability and profits.
Remote work is here to stay. Take the first step towards building your distributed team with Talent500. With our AI algorithms and proven vetted global skillbase, we provide you with personalized and accurate talent acquisition & management solutions & more. To find out more, request a consultation today!
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