Seven Advantages to Remote Workers that Your Clients will Love
The pandemic gave millions of workers around the world a crash course in remote work. The benefits of going remote—no commute, more time with family, flexible schedules—are all things that employees are reluctant to give up: nearly 60% of US employees that started working from home during the pandemic would prefer to permanently continue working remotely.
How can companies respond to these changing preferences long term? Is remote work beneficial for companies as well? In fact, there is much to gain for employers who fully embrace the remote work revolution. From happier employees, to reduced expenses, to being more competitive in attracting top talent, even the most hesitant organizations can find something to love about making a permanent transition to remote or hybrid work options for their workforce.
Here are our seven favorite employer benefits to remote work your clients are sure to love as you help them develop their own distributed workforce strategy.
1. Greatly Expanded Talent Pools
Having a remote or hybrid work policy means you can also attract better talent or seek talent from anywhere in the world. Geographical constraints are less of an issue in hiring, and applicants can take their chances applying to jobs they otherwise might not have, meaning remote-friendly organizations have a great advantage in attracting qualified candidates. In fact, an overwhelming number of candidates now intentionally seek out work opportunities that offer remote work options. A recent study revealed that 85% of workers are interested in working remotely, even beyond the pandemic. Employers that respond to this interest can greatly expand their pool of applicants.
2. Higher Productivity
With remote work, employees can avoid many distractions like unproductive meetings, interruptions, and other disturbances that are inevitable in a bustling office. Remote employees can often benefit from a more flexible schedule as well. They can adjust their schedules to maximize productivity and energy so they get the most out of their work hours. It is expected that the shift to remote work will persist post-pandemic and may result in a 5% productivity boost in the US economy.
3. Reduced Office Expenses
Many companies allowing remote work can significantly reduce expenses on office space, parking allowance costs, travel, office supplies, and more. This can offer businesses more flexibility and resiliency, not to mention greater opportunities to be more creative with ways to invest in their workforce. A study on the cost savings associated with building a remote, distributed workforce, showed that companies that allowed employees to work remotely even just half of the time could save as much as $11,000 annually per worker.
4. Reduced Carbon Footprint
Going remote is one of the most effective ways for organizations to reduce emissions and achieve impactful sustainability goals. Commuting, especially when employees use their personal vehicles and commute alone, is one of the biggest sources of emissions globally. In 2015, Xerox reported its teleworkers drove 92 million fewer miles and reduced carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 41,000 metric tons.
Electric and heating requirements for large office spaces are another large source of emissions. In the US, buildings are responsible for nearly 40% of all carbon dioxide emissions. It requires far less energy to power individual homes compared to large office spaces. By embracing remote work, businesses can reduce their office space needs, real estate expenses, and carbon footprint.
5. Improved Inclusivity
Remote work enables companies to meaningfully advance diversity and inclusion initiatives by hiring people from different socioeconomic, geographic, and cultural backgrounds. It can give workers opportunities they otherwise may not have had, and create access to candidates that businesses may not have had when recruiting from a traditional office environment. A distributed workforce allows employees to work from home and remain close to support networks. This shift can help people who may struggle to find in-person employment, like those with disabilities or caregivers who are unable to be away from home all day.
6. Better Emergency Preparedness
The pandemic has demonstrated the importance of expecting the unexpected. Implementing permanent remote work or hybrid office arrangements can help businesses efficiently adapt in the event of a natural disaster, local or national emergency, or to future community-spread illnesses. During a crisis, staff non-essential to onsite operations can easily continue their work if remote work processes and capabilities are already in place.
7. Happier and Healthier Employees
A study on the effects of remote work showed that 71% of those working remotely were happy in their jobs, compared to only 55% of those working in offices. Remote workers are also often healthier: they can be less stressed due to less time spent commuting, have more time and flexibility to exercise and visit the doctor, and of course are less at risk of COVID-19 exposure. Happy and healthy employees are also far less likely to quit: losing long-term employees can cost a company between $10,000 and $30,000 each. Remote work options not only improve the well-being and longevity of your employees but also makes good business sense.
The remote work revolution is here, and organizations that fully embrace it can reap all of these benefits and more. Are you looking for more ways to help your clients permanently implement a virtual workforce in their talent recruitment strategy? Download our whitepaper, Managing Your Virtual Workforce, to learn more about successfully making the remote transition.