5 Interesting Benefits of Remote Working for Your Company

Remote working has become the norm, especially among technology companies. Remote work has disrupted the traditional 9-to-5 routine, but some organizations are still reluctant to depart from standard practices and remain uncertain about how to manage remote workers and their productivity. A few years back, Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer, who was newly promoted to her executive role, ended Yahoo’s longstanding remote working policy, leading to backlash from staff.

Despite Mayer’s infamous stance, a growing number of organizations are recognizing the benefits of remote working. Employees love it because it means they spend less time commuting and it gives them greater flexibility. Remote working arrangements don’t just benefit employees, however – they also benefit companies in the following ways:

1. Access to a larger talent pool

Companies that allow remote working have access to a larger talent pool because they aren’t limited to candidates in a single geographic location. You can hire the best employees, regardless of location.

2. More cost-effective

Salary expectations in some regions are quite high. By hiring remote workers, you can tap into labor markets where salary expectations aren’t as competitive. When you allow remote working, you also lower real estate costs because you don’t need to have as much office space or invest in as much office equipment.

3. Boost productivity

One of employers’ biggest fears is that remote employees won’t be as productive as in-house employees but that’s often far the from the truth. Remote workers might not adhere to a 9-to-5 schedule, but they do put their hours in and they tend to get a lot more done than their counterparts at the office.

Remote workers can work during the time they would have spent commuting. Remote workers are also more focused because there are fewer distractions, like drop-ins from the boss or chatty co-workers. Remote workers tend to call in sick less than traditional employees too because they can stay in bed longer and start working later if they don’t feel well.

4. Reduce your carbon footprint

Remote working is more eco-friendly for obvious reasons. Eliminating or minimizing daily commutes reduces pollution and lowers greenhouse gas emissions. Telecommuting also reduces the amount of office space needed and therefore reduces energy consumption. People who work from home tend to use less electricity, less paper, and less equipment, such as printers and fax machines, than those who work in an office.

Access to natural light and fresh air is scarce in most office buildings, which typically consist of a large, open space broken up into offices and cubicles. Therefore, offices use more artificial lighting and central heating and cooling systems to compensate. Large office buildings require more energy to heat, cool, and power than home-based offices, where you can rely on natural light, use a fan to cool off, or add extra layers of clothing to warm up.

5. Increase employee satisfaction and retention

Remote working is also a great way to attract and retain the best employees. Remote working increases staff morale and job satisfaction because it gives workers flexibility and enables them to better juggle the demands of work and family.

Allowing your employees to work remotely shows that you trust them to do their jobs unsupervised. Remote staff members tend to be more loyal to their employers because they’re grateful for the opportunity to work at home. Their happiness on the job also enhances their productivity.

If you want to try remote working at your company, it’s important that you implement the right tools, as it’s crucial to use software that enables communication, enhances collaboration, and strengthens relationships across the virtual divide. If you’re ready to take advantage of the benefits of remote working at your company, contact Add-On Products today. We offer a web-based team calendar for Microsoft Outlook® and Exchange called WebTeam Central that allows you to easily share your schedule with your team, view your colleagues’ calendars, and keep track of upcoming meetings, appointments, and deadlines. Contact us today to set up a Free Trial or Free Online Demo of our software!