5 Top Reasons Why Working Remotely Makes Sense

by JM I. Digital Marketer

Working remotely, whether on a contract project or full-time basis, can be a little daunting at first, especially if you are used to working from an office every single day. For companies that are considering going down this path, it needs to be a carefully deliberated move that requires buy-in from the entire company and dedication from everyone involved to make it work.

It is a concept that is, however, quickly gaining foothold. It may not be popular with the likes of Marissa Mayer, but heck, that doesn’t mean some of the world’s largest companies aren’t in on the act, particularly in the tech niche.

Oracle, Dell, Adobe, Salesforce and more have successfully married remote and onsite concepts, with others such as Buffer and Basecamp plunging in all the way.

With the help of the increasing collaboration tools and resources, letting your employees work remotely can turn out to be a genius move for your business.

And here’s why.

1. Saves Money

You can drastically cut down on office expenses – rent, furniture, office supplies etc. – by allowing several or all members of your staff to work remotely.

If you don’t have a large office at present, it’s only sensible to have some staff members work from home, especially those who need not show up physically to get any work done.

2. Opportunity to Hire more Enthusiastic Workers

Studies over the last couple of years have shown that a good deal of employees would choose the flexible working hours that come with remote working over pay rise. Over pay rise!

A most recently concluded study in the UK had a significant number even ranking flexibility above private healthcare insurance, commission and an improved pension scheme.

That’s just how much people, especially the growing millennial workforce, want to leave the traditional work culture behind.

The thing with remote working is that it provides people with a chance to lead a happier life and strike a better balance between work and life, both of which are vital in getting the best out of each individual.

With project management apps like Basecamp, Podio, Evernote, Trello, Asana et al, managing employees and their projects has never been easier.

3. Productivity

Increased productivity is one of the direct benefits of having happier, more enthusiastic employees. Work doesn’t have to be commuting to the office and sitting at the same desk every day.

This old-school method has been found to lead to complacency at work, and is one of the reasons companies engage in activities like team-building, inviting motivational speakers and other such efforts (all an added cost) in a bid to motivate staff.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

Switch to remote working and you might just find productivity improving. If need be, you can always take advantage of serviced office space providers to touch base with your employees (if they are all locally-based) in person, on say, a weekly basis, or even meet clients.

4. Not Bound to Hiring Locally

You can devolve some tasks such as web design and SEO, online marketing, content and so on to remote workers located across the globe.

virtual office

This is also a great avenue for finding freelancers for specific projects that may not require the services of a full-time employee. Staff like receptionists and personal assistants can all be virtual, and this – you find – will save your company significant amounts each year.

5. More Insight into New Markets

Having a virtual workforce comprising staff situated in various geographical locations provides you with a golden opportunity to tap into their knowledge of the local area to determine if it can be a potential market or a viable location for expansion.

Managed well, and with every employee knowing what is expected of them, the potential of remote working is immense. Enormous. Huge.

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1. Saved Costs

You can drastically cut down on office expenses – rent, furniture, office supplies etc. – by allowing several or all members of your staff to work remotely.

2. Improved Productivity

A most recently concluded study in the UK had a significant number even ranking flexibility above private healthcare insurance, commission and an improved pension scheme.