Remote Working – 6 Business Benefits for Employers

For many businesses who don’t already implement remote working strategies, the current situation may prove more challenging than it already is but there are benefits for employers. When uncertainty strikes like the current Covid-19 crisis, the most agile businesses are the ones that think long-term. Short, sharp, shock decisions can have limited impact and may even prove to be costly in the long run.

There are good reasons why investing time and energy into enabling employees to work from home can make valuable business sense for the future, come what may. We look at the benefits of remote working for employers and how it can have a positive impact for your business, and why it can lead to greater productivity in the long-term.

Six remote working benefits for employers

1. Access to a diverse geographic talent pool

Before the COVID19 CoronaVirus global outbreak, employees and employers traditionally limited their job search or recruitment strategies to a limited and commutable geographical area. A couple of weeks into a worldwide enforced remote working lockdown, many employers are realising for the first time that their employees can work effectively remotely and are rethinking their future recruitment strategies. Why recruit in the London area for the London office when I can now recruit in Liverpool or Birmingham or Glasgow? This not only opens up a whole new diverse talent pool but may also potentially a more cost-effective option.

2. Boost productivity

Often, employees who work remotely or from home feel the need to prove themselves more because ‘there’s no one watching’. And without the time spent catching up with employees or long lunch breaks, you’ll find their working hours become more productive timewise. You’ll also find employees with a long commute are more refreshed and able to complete their work more effectively.

3. Save money

It may be that your business needs to invest in up-to-date technology and security, but generally apps like Zoom and Skype are free for employees to download. Their broadband will be of importance, as well as the age of the laptop or computer they use at home. But beyond that, business costs may well be reduced in terms of lighting, electricity and overheads that occur from closing offices.

4. Limit business impact

If you have interviews scheduled, there’s no reason why they still can’t go ahead – as long as you think virtually. Telephone interviews are becoming increasingly popular anyway as you can get a good feel for a candidate before moving to the next interview stage. The same can even be said for events down the line. Company events can become virtual with live streaming, webcasts and video conferencing proving successful options for many businesses.

5. Work more collaboratively

One of the treasures in the remote working arsenal for employers, are Google documents. You can see who is online, share folders and drives and make collaborative amends where necessary. So you can see exactly how work is going and have a rough idea of whether timings will be met. But rather than ‘spying’ on employees, it’s best to set out clear objectives as you would on any given workday and make suggestions in margins when your employee is at a point to share work.

6. Increase energy levels

When employees work from home or remotely, they’re avoiding public transport and as such, will spend less time travelling. So they should have greater levels of energy to face the working day – and with that, you may find discretionary effort increases too. Granted, these are unprecedented times, but you may find remote working suits your employees a lot more than always being present in the office. And happier employees make better employees.

If you’d like to learn more about implementing successful remote working policies or for any further advice about hiring during this difficult period, please contact our flexible and part-time agency. We wish you the best of luck as you deal with the business challenges that may lie ahead.