Remote workers are not just a trend anymore – they are the new norm for many companies. Post Covid-19, many small and large organizations as well as leading tech recruiting firms have reported a significant upswing in the number of remote employees as compared to traditional officegoers.
Research for Robert Half’s latest Salary Guide revealed that 56 percent of workers expect their employers to provide remote work options. Additionally, the ability to work remotely permanently was among the leading reasons cited for making a move.
There are several benefits to having employees working remotely. Let’s take a look at some of the top 5 ways in which remote workers can add value to your organization.
Higher Productivity
Contrary to popular belief prior to the pandemic, in many instances, remote workers have proven to be significantly more productive than employees working in offices. A Global Workplace Analytics study showed that teleworkers were 20-25 percent more productive than employees who were office-based. Gallup’s State of the American Workplace Report states that employees who work remotely 60 to 80 percent of the time strongly agree that they make more progress away from the workplace.
There are several reasons for this. Away from the traditional workplace, there are fewer distractions like office sounds or co-workers dropping by. Remote working allows employees to take charge of their schedules and create personalized routines per their own working styles. With the freedom and flexibility of remote working, employees feel trusted and in control, which enhances productivity.
Increased Employee Retention
With a remote working arrangement comes greater employee satisfaction, which in turn leads to higher employee engagement and retention. Data from The Great Resignation states that approximately 9 million people who worked remotely during the pandemic would look for another job if they were compelled to return to an office.
The expense of replacing an employee can be high, requiring considerable time and resources including recruitment and training. Top organizations and IT recruitment agencies understand that offering remote or hybrid work options is necessary not only to attract top talent, but also to hold on to valuable employees. Using remote workers for contract assignments also helps employers avoid overloading their core teams which could lead to burnout. 95% of companies confirm that remote working has a major positive effect on employee retention.
Cost-Effectiveness
Having a remote workforce can result in substantial business savings. Hiring remote workers is proven to lower absences and turnover, and improve profitability by boosting productivity and engagement.
A major expense for most companies is leasing office space, especially with the steady incline in real estate prices over the recent years. Research shows that companies who employ remote workers could save up to $10,000 per employee each year in real estate and other costs. These include office costs such as furniture, office supplies, and cleaning services. Less office space also helps to save on property taxes.
Remote workers can be cost-effective in other ways. Hiring remote employees means they have their own resources such as electricity, water, the internet etc. Companies can hire outside their locale without having to pay relocation costs, and are able to offer competitive salaries and benefits in local currencies.
More Agile Teams
Prior to the pandemic, agility was a word much talked about in business, but not really implemented effectively. When Covid struck, it was the most agile organizations that thrived and survived.
Agile teams free organizations from geographical limitations, enabling them to access the best specialists and freelancers from any corner of the globe. It helps businesses span multiple time zones, leading to quicker response times, better coverage of assets, and round-the-clock progress on valuable projects.
Most IT executive search firms agree that post-Covid, agility will continue to hold high priority for business growth. Technology is evolving at a breakneck pace, and it will not be possible to meet customer demands by using yesterday’s processes. Today, top companies are looking to establish a long-term hybrid work model, which will help them recruit and maintain the skilled workforce essential to compete in the post-pandemic economy. These businesses view remote employee recruitment as a way to become even more agile and to enhance their business resilience.
Reduce Your Ecological Footprint
In today’s world of significant environmental awareness, most businesses make it their priority to reduce their ecological footprint and make their operations greener. So it’s important to consider the environmental benefits of a remote work set-up.
Since remote workers commute less or not at all, your business helps take cars off the road, reducing your corporate carbon footprint. Per a Global Workplace Analytics survey, remote employees are helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 54 million tons per year.
Research shows that if employees with remote-compatible jobs worked from home even 50 percent of the time, annually our environment would be spared the following:
- $20 million in gas
- 54 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to taking 10 million cars off the road
- 640 million barrels of oil
- 119 billion miles of highway driving
Today’s workers have made it clear that remote is the way they want to work from here on. By switching to remote work models, more and more businesses are harnessing its potential for massive growth. Not hiring remote workers could put your organization at risk of missing out on great recruits, allowing competitors the chance to snap them up.
Employvision is here to help you take advantage of this trend and source the best remote workforce for your business. With over 15 years of experience in recruiting top technology talent, we help reduce your recruiting cycle time while improving your candidate experience and retention.
Contact Employvision and start hiring the best IT talent today!
