More employers are realizing the benefits of remote staff.
The pandemic proved that it is possible to run some of the biggest companies using a remote workforce.
But should they?
Many companies found that it had huge benefits ranging from increased productivity to reduced costs.
There have also been concerns about security and mental health.
All in all, there are pros and cons to working remotely that are important to weigh up if you’re thinking of hiring remote employees.
The pros
Happier employees
Various studies have found that remote employees on average have a higher level of job satisfaction than on-site workers.
This is likely due to the fact that working from home can provide a better work/life balance – working from home can cut out time wasted commuting and allow more time with one’s family and friends.
Working from home was found to be most favoured among Gen Z and millennial workers.
Women were also found to enjoy remote work more than men.
Greater talent pool
Hiring workers remotely allows employers to tap into a much larger talent pool. Companies no longer have to hire workers who live within commuting distance, instead having the option to hire workers from across the country or even the world.
This means potentially even greater levels of talent to choose from, increasing your chance of finding the best applicant for the job.
Reduced costs
Not having to hire in-house employees can save money on equipment and supplies. It can even prevent the need to have an office at all.
Renting an office is one of the biggest overheads for many companies, which means huge potential savings.
This could be money that goes towards growing your business, paying off debts or simply more pay for you and your employees.
Greater productivity
Some studies suggest that remote employees may even be more productive. While working from home can come with distractions, an office setting may actually present more distractions including chatty colleagues and impromptu meetings. Employees also tend to work longer hours on average when working from home.
The cons
Security risks
Having all your employees work from the same location can be better for security. Typically, employees in an office all work on the same internet connection, which can be made as secure as possible.
When employees work remotely, you have to trust that they are using a secure connection that won’t be vulnerable to hackers.
Recommending a VPN for remote workers and asking that workers stay off public Wi-Fi connections can help reduce the risk of an employee being hacked.
Communication challenges
It’s much easier to communicate with employees who are in the office with you. When hiring remote employees, you must rely on technology to communicate.
The other thing to remember is to pay every payslip on time.
Tech failure, a poor connection, or an inability to use tech properly could result in poor communication. Employers must therefore be confident using tech such as video calls, emails, instant messaging or VoIP before hiring remote employees, and they must have the organizational skills to manage all these forms of communication.
Reduced social interaction
A lack of face-to-face interaction could also make you and your employees feel more lonely. 19% of remote workers stated that social isolation was their biggest work challenge.
For single people living alone, a workplace can be as much of a place to socialize as it is a place to earn money. This makes remote working somewhat of a double-edged sword – employees may report being happier with their jobs, but the long-term mental health effects are yet to be seen.
Employee retention challenges
While offering flexible working options has helped many companies retain staff, there are long-term challenges when it comes to engaging and motivating loyal employees to stick around.
Employees may find it easier to look for other work while working from home.
On top of this, it’s harder to tell if a remote employee is becoming demotivated.
Therefore, you may have to put in a little extra effort to retain employees such as regularly offering new incentives to stay.
Should you hire remote workers?
Hiring remote workers is ideal if you’re looking for niche talent, looking for a way to save costs, or simply looking to offer a new incentive to employees.
You should be wary of taking on a remote workforce if security is a priority at your company or if you are not particularly tech-savvy.
If you think you could benefit from both a remote and on-site workforce, the option of hybrid working could still be something to look into. This allows employees the option to work from home while also encouraging some employees to come into the office – which may help combat social isolation and retention challenges.
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