How Remote Workers Benefits for Your Organization?

In a highly competitive global economy, working intelligently often means taking advantage of the many benefits of a remote workforce. Whether you’ve considered this idea to save your business a lot of money, or whether your employees have asked to add this option to your current service package, there’s a lot to gain if you take people home, at Starbucks, at the airport, or wherever their Wi-Fi connections take them. In addition, easy-to-use and cost-effective technological solutions (Ex; high-fidelity video conferencing) allow employees to work remotely, which is a relatively fast and painless process for everyone involved.

More and more small and medium-sized businesses are encouraging working from home. There is no doubt about that, that’s for sure. A recent Skype survey revealed that on average, nearly 62% of companies surveyed allow their employees to work outside the company. The survey also showed that 56% of managers surveyed felt that remote workers were more productive, while 75% felt that teleworking was becoming more and more accepted. With such figures, one would think that any manager would be on the move, but many managers are still reluctant to distance themselves. Don’t make any mistakes. Managing employees remotely is a challenge but there are so many benefits of remote work.

We are at the heart of a revolution in workplace flexibility. More people than ever before are working away from home, and by 2020, 30 percent of the workforce will be self-employed, subcontracted or remote, spending much of their time at home. While the benefits of working from home are immediately apparent to workers, i.e. avoiding commuting and working at a convenient time for them, the benefits for employers are not always so obvious.

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

Higher Productivity

One of the strongest arguments in favor of integrating remote employees into the work routine is global research, which indicates a significant increase in productivity. Many organizations are discovering that their remote teams are not content to go further, but are willing to go further in exchange for the privilege of being able to work from anywhere. A recent study found that 53 out of 100 remote employees are willing to work overtime. The same survey also found this:

45% of homeworkers report that they are able to work smarter (more work in less time).

44% say they are less distracted and more efficient than in the office.

90% of managers say that employees are more productive when they have the opportunity to choose when and how they work.

Employees are happier if they can work at home or in a more comfortable place. There are several reasons for this: no commuting, more family time, a more flexible schedule, the opportunity to create your own environment, and so on. Happier employees are more productive employees.

It may sound a bit absurd, but distant employees are actually more productive than their colleagues in the office. In a recent Global Workplace Analytics survey, 53 percent of sales reps said they were likely to work overtime, while only 28 percent of their colleagues in the office said they were doing the same thing. When a person works from home, they are isolated from the daily distractions that take place in an office; they are not hindered by spontaneous meeting requests or idle conversations from colleagues. Instead, they can adapt to the task at hand without interruption.

Also, not everyone is most productive between hours 9 and 5. Some members of your team will be night owls who do their best work long after sunset; others will be morning owls whose productivity comes before the sun rises. But let’s be honest, not all workers will see their newly found freedom as a way to become more productive. There will be people in your organization who will become less productive. One of the keys to a successful remote working organization is, therefore, the ability to hire the right people.

Reduce Turnover

Who would have thought that posting workers is one of the best ways to keep them close to home for years to come? Today, more and more companies are using teleworking options as a desirable advantage to help them retain the best talent. A U.S. national survey found that 73% of employees in remote areas say they are more satisfied with their jobs. In addition, 53% of field representatives in the United States say they are NOT considering leaving their jobs next year, while 54% of internal employees are looking for a new job. Other convincing statistics show that employees are willing to stay in companies that allow them to work remotely:

82% of workers say they would be more loyal to employers who offer flexible work opportunities.

95% of employers say that teleworking has had a major impact on the retention of their employees.

39% of employees did not accept a new job or resigned due to rigid employment opportunities.

One of the biggest problems for small businesses is the loss of employees who keep them alive. Small businesses cannot always compete with large companies in terms of wages and benefits, so it is important to make the most of the benefits you have.

While endless meetings and obsolete working practices can anchor employees in large companies firmly to their desks, the agility and entrepreneurial spirit that is alive and well in many small businesses can give employees the freedom they need.

Working at home can give parents with family responsibilities the flexibility they need, while other workers can benefit from a better work-life balance. These two factors play a crucial role in employee retention.

Do you know how much it really costs to replace an employee? It is estimated that replacing an employee who earns $50,000 a year will cost your company 20% of his salary. And jobs that require a high level of education and training will lead to an even higher cost of sales. From this perspective, companies are using teleworking as an advantage to retain their best talent. Ninety-five percent of employers say that teleworking has a high impact on employee retention. This is not surprising, as two-thirds of employees say they are taking on a new job to make travel easier.

Companies save money

We probably preach the good word to the converts, but offices are expensive. If you rent office space, you can claim a portion of the cost as part of your investment flat rate, but it is probably one of the highest fixed costs your business will have.

We don’t necessarily advocate the complete elimination of an office, but if you allow your employees to work from home two days a week and apply a hot office policy the rest of the time, you can reduce office space requirements. It is true that hot-desking is not the preferred policy of all employees, but if it gives them the freedom to work part of the week from home, there is a good chance that it will work.

Real estate is the most obvious way for a company to save. According to an article published on Sqwiggle.com, “a study sponsored by the collaboration software company PGi showed that a company can save $10,000 per employee per year in real estate costs by switching to full-time teleworking. If you extend this to a team of 20 people, you’re talking about pocket money.”

However, there are other overhead costs associated with having employees on site. Items such as office supplies and furniture, janitorial services, and electricity are reduced. Finally, the ability for employees to work from home reduces the number of calls (people who are likely to arrive due to illness or bad weather). According to Global Workplace Analytics, such unplanned absences can cost a company up to $1,800 per employee per year.

Let’s be honest, the long journeys are terrible I’m not saying anything new. But did you know that long journeys make your employees unhappy? Swedish researchers have found that a travel time of more than 45 minutes for a single partner in marriage increases the probability of divorce by 40%. There are others. Home-to-work travel is also associated with weight gain, increased stress, loneliness and neck pain. Happier employees are more productive employees. For this reason, hiring employees remotely can improve your financial results.

Employees save money

It is not true that companies save money with it alone. Gas prices are rising and public transport costs are rising. Not only are people depressed by their daily travel, but they are going bankrupt. According to the ConnectSolutions study, the average long-distance worker surveyed said that working from home saves him about $4,600 per year, which is equivalent to a few months’ mortgage payments.

Access to global talent

If you hire people who have to go to work, limit your available talent pool to your geographic region. However, there is a world of A-plus talent outside your suburban area. Starting in Tulsa, Oklahoma? Now, if you hire employees remotely, you can hire software developers in San Francisco and Boston. Even if you are looking for highly skilled talent but can’t afford to break the bank, you may find an excellent full-time engineer in the Philippines who is willing to work for a fraction of the cost.

One of the main factors for the growth of telework is the “millennium effect”. Younger generations have grown up because they can communicate effectively and cost-effectively from anywhere in the world, expecting the same in a working environment.

For young people, workplace flexibility is one of the many factors they consider when looking for a new job. Many surveys have shown that this is something they want and expect. Offering this type of service can help employers attract highly qualified young workers who would not otherwise be interested in a job.

If you give your employees the opportunity to work from a distance, you can also hire outside the normal commuter route. This can be particularly beneficial in places or professions where there is a shortage of skilled labor, as small businesses can expand their network and work with the most talented people, wherever they are.

Make 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 that allow colleagues to communicate and collaborate instantly.

The temptation may be to think that a distant worker is an unequal worker, but given these valuable tools, this is simply not the case today. In addition to introducing the necessary technology, there are a number of other steps you can take to give your homework community the best chance of success.

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