- June 7, 2021
The Benefits of Remote Working for Employers
Business analysts have been touting the benefits of remote work for years. The future they envisioned was full of flexible working arrangements, cloud collaboration, and plenty of video conferencing.
These experts didn’t factor a global pandemic into their calculations, but then COVID accelerated the switch to working remotely. Now, all signs indicate that these arrangements are here to stay.
It’s easy to see the benefits of remote work from an employee’s perspective: ditching the commute and swapping professional wardrobes for pyjamas are just a few. The benefits for employers aren’t as obvious, but they’re no less real. Research and anecdotal evidence shows that business owners benefit from flexible work options at least as much as their employees.
Continue reading to explore eight key benefits of remote work for employers.
1. Increased Productivity
It’s fair to wonder whether your employees are as productive from their home office as before. Good news: new data clearly shows that they are. In fact, most people are more productive.
Multiple recent studies demonstrate that remote workers work longer and are more productive on average than workers in a traditional office setting. One reason for this rise is that employees are happier and want to build trust with their employers to prevent losing these remote work privileges once the world returns to ‘normal.’
If an employee has a proper home workspace, they can also avoid distractions like long coffee breaks with colleagues, workplace drama, or worrying about traffic on their commutes. This frees them up to concentrate on their work.
2. Better Performance
Not only do remote employees produce more work, but their work is better. One study found that remote workers create results with up to 40% fewer mistakes. This is fantastic for an employer; higher quality work means less time correcting errors and more time focusing on projects that propel your business. and mistakes. This is fantastic for an employer; higher quality work means less time correcting errors and more time focusing on projects that propel your business.
3. Happier Employees
People work best when they’re happy with their work, and employees are more satisfied when they can work from home. When online meeting company Owl Labs asked people whether they were happy in their jobs, 71% of those working remotely said yes, compared to only 55% of those working in traditional offices. This rise in happiness is a significant factor in the increased productivity and performance mentioned earlier.
Why are remote employees so much happier? A few of the reasons reported are the lack of commute, the extra time to spend on hobbies and with loved ones, and the freedom to manage personal affairs without worrying about getting approval. As a result, employees are more engaged, have less stress, and are happy to do high-quality work for their employer.
4. Healthier Employees
Remote workers also have better mental and physical health than their office-based counterparts due to this reduced stress and increased flexibility to address health issues. When employees have the freedom to work remotely, they’re less likely to skip routine preventative care visits and more likely to seek prompt help for medical issues. They also avoid a shared space with coworkers where germs can spread.
As a business owner, this means less absenteeism and fewer missed workdays due to sickness or burnout.
5. Higher Employee Retention Rates
One of the biggest challenges for business owners is employee retention. It can be tough to maintain performance and grow your business when dealing with frequent employee turnover. Luckily, workplace flexibility is a crucial factor in retaining valuable employees. Seven in ten workers surveyed by HR software company Zenefits said that flexible working was as important to them as pay and health benefits.
Employees change jobs for plenty of reasons, including location, life planning, and restlessness. Flexible working arrangements accommodate these life changes without forcing people to change jobs. Employees who can work from any place they choose, easily meet family commitments, and pursue their hobbies are more likely to stick around.
6. A Larger Talent Pool
Traditional office working arrangements limit the talent pool you can access when hiring employees. You may find the perfect candidate for a vacancy, but if they’re not close enough to commute to your office or willing to relocate, you’re out of luck.
By offering opportunities for remote work, your talent pool expands drastically. Now, you can select the ideal candidate from a much broader demographic. It’s also easier to find people with specialized skill sets, such as proficiency in a particular language or expertise with a specific software package.
7. Decreased Environmental Impacts
Giant manufacturers and oil companies clearly affect the environment; your small business does, too. Much of this impact comes from work commutes, office equipment, in-building energy usage, and facility maintenance.
Allowing employees to work from home empowers you to decrease emissions, use fewer supplies, save energy, and reduce your negative environmental impact.
8. Lower Operating Costs
We started this list with productivity, and we’ll close it with cost. These are two items that small business owners prioritize highly. So, how can remote work lead to cost savings?
One example is reduced office space. Using less real estate saves on leasing costs. Other examples include office supplies and perks, energy bills, and commute allowances. Plus, many remote workers already have home office setups, saving you the cost of providing things like desks and ergonomic chairs.
Remote work might make some things more complicated, like cybersecurity, collaboration, and new employee onboarding. But overall, increased productivity and quality, cost savings, and employee retention make the effort worthwhile. Working with a third-party service provider can help you overcome the technical and cultural challenges of remote working, enabling you to begin reaping the rewards.
