Over the past 10 years, the way workforces look have changed drastically.
Has yours changed? Do you require all of your employees report to the office and work 8 to 5? If so, you could be missing out on the great potential of remote workers.
Remote employees aren’t the right fit for all organizations, and certainly not for all roles, but there are some positions that could be handled outside the office (at least part of the time) in most businesses.
Why you should consider remote workers
Here are a few reasons you should consider remote employees if you aren’t already:
- Your competition already is — You are missing out on some great potential hires that you might find yourself competing against. There is a portion of the talent pool that is accustomed to working remotely, and they aren’t likely join you if they don’t have that option. Why reduce the pool of talented applicants who are interested in working for you.
- It will save you money — This one is pretty simple: Fewer employees in the office will result in less space needed and lower associated costs (rent, furniture, etc.)
- You’ll have more engaged employees — Commuting is typically stressful, if not hellish, for many employees. Remote workers start and end their days less stressed than your typical employee because they don’t have to deal with a commute. They appreciate the fact that they are allowed to work remotely, which leads to more engaged employees. This ultimately improves your business.
- Employees will miss less work — Employees who work remotely have an easier time working through an illness and will not spread their germs to other employees. You’ll get more work days out of the remote employees, and with less germs around, you might get more days out of those in the office, too. You’ll also have some employees who aren’t affected by inclement weather, which can cost companies a lot of time in some parts of the country.
Consider the benefits
There are many other reasons to consider remote employees, but some would argue against them as well — company culture can take a hit, communication can change, and if your remote employee is easily distracted it can be problematic (although this can happen when they work in the office, too!).
I am not suggesting remote workers are the best fit for everyone — but they should be something that all business owners consider for certain positions.
This was originally published on the Genesis HR Solutions blog.