Why Remote Workers Are the Best Option for Your Business: Nine Reasons

These are challenging times, and unfortunately, for businesses, it is probably going to become more complicated as more states move to shelter-in-place requirements and other restrictions related to the COVID-19 crisis. 

We also realize that this is not the time for “business as usual,” so we are now offering free use of our Workmates solution, designed to help improve communication and collaboration with remote teams. Learn more now.

We are also digging through our past blog articles, eBooks, and other resources to help you during this time. We know that for many companies this may be their first experience managing employees working at home. To help, this article gives you 10 reasons why a remote workforce can be the best option for your business.

1. They are more productive.

Remote workers can get more work done in a shorter amount of time, so you can work on more projects and improve your bottom line. 

Why is this true? Remote workers are more productive because they don’t have to commute to a physical office, they can work at the times of day when they are most productive and in the right order, they don’t get distracted by colleagues, and they can self-motivate themselves. A recent study even went so far as to show that remote workers tend to go above and beyond and work harder for their companies.

2. There is a bigger talent pool available.

If you want all your employees to work from the same location, it’s going to be more difficult to find top talent. Not every possible employee can be convinced to move to your city, so you’ll have to choose mostly from local talent. 

With a remote workforce, you can get the best workers from all over North America, Europe, and Australia, and you yourself can travel the world while working. You’re also much more likely to draw in top talent because remote work is an appealing option to employees.

3. Lower company costs.

According to  Marge Kroll, a content writer at Write My X and Brit Student, “having a remote workforce means you can cut a lot of your costs, such as renting office space, which is a big part of a company’s operating budget, especially start-ups. In fact, one study found that one remote worker can save a company $10,000 per year in real estate space.”

4. A remote workforce is healthier.

There has been a lot of research done on the negative effects of working in a physical office, both on mental and physical health. These effects can be avoided or at least reduced when your employees work remotely. 

The time saved commuting to work alone can help employees avoid higher blood pressure and poor workplace attitudes. In addition to the commute time, up to 82% of remote workers have less stress than those working in an office. Remote workers are healthier and happier in general, which will only have a positive effect on your business.

5. Remote workers are more loyal employees.

Remote workers are less likely to quit due to higher job satisfaction, health, and happiness levels. Having a remote workforce means less employee turnover, and more guarantee that the training invested in a person is worth it.

6. Employees are more engaged.

In addition to being more productive, employees who work from home are more engaged. This is because they are able to work from home on the flexible schedule they choose and have a better work-life balance. They are more energized going into a work day. 

Effective HR solutions, such as the HR Cloud App allows for greater employer experience by creating ongoing assignment lists, responding to leave requests, observing performance trends, offering kudos (or points) to reward an employee for a successfully accomplished task. There is the ability to provide information for 24/7 access in order for your employees to complete any pending work. For employees, communication and engagement are key whether that means better access to company announcements, calendar, and co-worker availability/contact information. What is even better? This app can connect with third-party tools such as Skype, Whatsapp and Google Hangouts for one on one or group conversations – this can especially be beneficial when in different time zones.

7. They are less stressed.

As previously mentioned, avoiding a long commute leads to lower stress levels. The average commute in some cities is a whole hour, a long time to sit in traffic and build frustrations. People who work from home can handle their workload better and have a more positive mindset.

8. Lower utility costs.

In addition to having lower real estate costs when a company has a remote workforce, there are also lower utility costs. Jodie Smithwick, a film blogger at 1Day2Write and Next Coursework, says that “a company has less to worry about in terms of electric bills, recycling, disposing of resources, and more. Also, no need to worry about trips to the store to restock the supply cabinet.”

9. Smaller carbon footprint.

By having a remote workforce, a business has a smaller carbon footprint. Employees aren’t polluting on their long commutes into the office, there are less recycling and trash created due to the smaller office space, and you won’t have to keep the lights on of the whole building simply because one employee is working late on a project.

About the author:

Joel Syder, an HR specialist and writer with OriginWritings.com and AcademicBrits.com, loves to share his thoughts on alternative work arrangements, especially remote work and digital nomad lifestyles. A digital nomad himself, he travels the world and writes about his work doing so. His articles are also available on PhDKingdom.com.