Advantages of Letting Your Employees Work Remotely

We are in the middle of a revolution of flexible workplaces. More employees than ever before are working remotely, and it is predicted that by 2020, 30 % of the workforce will be either freelance, outsourced, or working remotely from home for much of their time.

While the benefits of working from home are immediately clear to employees - avoiding daily commuting and working to a schedule that suits them - the benefits to employers are not always so obvious.

So how could you benefit from a more flexible approach that gives your employees the freedom to work from home? These are some of the most compelling reasons why adopting flexible working practices could benefit your small business.

Less Time Spent Commuting

Reducing the time spent on a stressful and uncomfortable commute is undoubtedly an advantage for employees, but it could also give your company a boost.

The health and well-being of your workforce is demonstrably linked to productivity and a reduction in absenteeism. Whether it's a one-and-a-half hour train ride or a 30-minute trip through rush hour traffic, they'll never get that time back. When an employee works from home, he or she arrives fresh at the desk and can't wait to leave.

Working from home also reduces their travel expenses, which means your employees can spend more of their money on the things they love. The result is a happier, healthier and more motivated workforce.

Increase Employee Retention

One of the biggest headaches for small businesses is the loss of the people who make them up. Small businesses cannot always compete with larger organizations when it comes to salaries and benefits, so it's important to make the most of the advantages you have.

While endless meetings and outdated workplace practices may keep workers in larger organizations firmly chained to their desks, the agility and entrepreneurial spirit that is alive and well in many small businesses can give employees the freedom they crave.

Remote working can give parents with childcare responsibilities the flexibility they need, while other workers can benefit from a better work-life balance. Both factors play a crucial role in employee retention.

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Access to a Wider Range of Applicants

One of the main reasons for the increase in remote work is the "millennium effect". Younger generations have grown up being able to communicate cheaply and effectively from anywhere in the world, and it follows that they expect the same at work.

For younger employees, flexibility in the workplace is one of many factors they consider when looking for a new role. Numerous surveys have shown that this is something they want and expect. Offering these kinds of benefits can help employers attract young, highly qualified employees who might not otherwise be interested in a job.

If you give your employees the opportunity to work remotely, you can hire them outside the normal commuting distance. This can be particularly beneficial in locations or professions where there is a shortage of skilled workers, as small companies can expand their networks and work with the most talented people, regardless of where they are based.

More Autonomous Employees

If you give your employees the opportunity to work from home, they can work the way it suits them. People can be very selective about how and when they like to work. In an office environment, all employees must adapt to the same approach. But at home they have much more control.

Some employees will need to embrace the mantra of a tidy office and a tidy mind and create a calm, immaculate environment to perform at their best. Other employees, perhaps those with a more creative bent, may find their best work rolled up on the sofa or even late at night.

Of course you have to set certain rules, but within these guidelines your team will have the freedom to create an environment and schedule that will allow them to do their best.

Low Cost

We are probably preaching to the converted here, but office space is expensive. If you rent office space, you can reclaim a portion of the cost as part of your capital contribution, but it is still likely to be one of the largest fixed costs your company will have.

We don't necessarily advocate giving up office space altogether, but if you allow your employees to work from home two days a week and have a hot-desking policy for the rest of the time, you could reduce the amount of office space you need. While it's true that hot-desking is not everyone's favorite policy, if it gives them the freedom to work from home for part of the week, chances are that it will work.

Making Better Use of Technology

Without the fantastic technology we have today, it would be impossible to work from home. Technology is the key to mobility, with fast Wi-Fi connections, smartphones, cloud computing, instant messaging, project management software and VoIP enabling colleagues to communicate and collaborate instantly.

The temptation might be to think that a remote workforce is an unequal workforce, but with these invaluable tools, that's simply not the case today. In addition to implementing the necessary technology, there are a number of other steps you can take to give your homework arrangement the very best chance of success.