In the not-so-distant past, people who worked from home were few and far between. And only a handful of businesses offered this as an occasional perk for parents who may need to stay home during bad weather or to care for a sick child. Today, however, more businesses – and workers – recognize the benefits of offering remote work opportunities, both full- and part-time. As a business owner, you owe it to yourself to understand the advantages and disadvantages of having a digitally-connected workforce.
Remote Workers Pros
There are many benefits to having a remote workforce. One of these is that you can be extremely detailed in the scope of the work expected. A remote worker is typically an independent contractor, although you do have the option of hiring as a full-time employee, too. Remote workers can help eliminate many costs associated with in-house staff.
Remote workers may perform any function from virtual call center to web developer — and you have access to an amazingly deep global talent pool.
Here are some of the best reasons to hire outside of your local community:
- Cost savings. Employing a remote workforce means that you do not have to invest in real estate, utilities, and equipment so that your employees can perform their job. This alone can save you hundreds of thousands of dollars in upfront expenses. Furthermore, if you choose independent contractors instead of employees, you’re not expected to provide benefits, such as vacation time, insurance, or retirement fund matching.
You will likely pay the same salary as an equally-experienced on-site employee, but your workers will save approximately $4500 per year and enjoy hundreds of extra hours of personal time compared to those in an office. They can also save money by avoiding a commute to a physical location which, in turn, will help keep clothing budgets in check.
- Access to talent. We mentioned above that you have access to a global talent pool. What this means is that you are not limited to those people that would happily commute to your office. Your ideal webmaster, for example, may live three states away while your bookkeeper may reside down the road.
- Enhanced productivity. Independent contractors, according to Inc., take slightly more breaks than their in-office counterparts. While it may sound counterintuitive, this actually equates to better productivity. People who work from home may spend a bit more time on the proverbial clock since they are not dealing with a commute and can pretty easily eat lunch at their desks.
- Better retention. Not surprisingly, those who have the freedom to work from home at their own pace tend to stay in their jobs longer than those forced to follow a strict time clock. RecruiterBox explains that this is because happy workers don’t leave their jobs. They have better work/life balance, save money, and can handle issues that arise both at home and at work without disrupting either.
Work From Home Cons
Despite all of its benefits, remote work is not without its downside. Isolation, nonexistent relationships between coworkers, and, in some cases, more distractions mean that working from home is not an ideal situation for all workers.
The Hiring Process
Hiring someone to work for your business is the same no matter where that business may be. You have to fine-tune the hiring process, and make sure to clearly outline the position responsibilities. Make sure that you know what your ideal worker looks like, which should include their availability, salary, and work history. When you first start hiring remote workers, it’s probably a good idea to stick with independent contractors that already have experience in an independent work environment.
One of the biggest differences between hiring in-person and hiring remotely is how you interview your candidates. Get comfortable with the video interviewing process, which should also include learning how to record the interview. This will give you an opportunity to go back and re-evaluate the candidate so you can decide if you would like to speak with them again.
Remote workers are a benefit to companies of all sizes, and especially now in the age of social distancing. There are many benefits, from cost savings to happier employees. But, it is not without its caveats, so it’s best to start small and grow your global workforce as you become more comfortable managing from afar. If you’re ready to start working remotely, go here to get started!
Guest Post by Marissa Perez: Marissa is a marketing guru with 10 years of experience. She co-created Business Pop to provide insight and advice to those entering business ownership.