Employees aren’t the only ones who should be getting excited about the work-from-home concept.
As we’ve looked at throughout this month, working from home is a growing interest to many professionals. However, this is a concept that employers still have a lot of reservations about. Having oversight of the office helps employers stay on top of the day-to-day work. Giving up that oversight is not going to be easy. But are employers really looking at the whole picture? Are they considering how much remote workers can positively impact their business? Let’s look at some of the reasons employers should be getting excited about a remote workforce.
No office politics.
We’re all professionals here. And yet office politics are sometimes unavoidable. The office can be a stressful place, and with a variety of personalities clashing, it’s inevitable that problems will arise. No manager enjoys dealing with such disruptions. However, taking away the office element can have a great impact on these issues. Communication is still important among those in the office, but not having to share a workspace can help to avoid some of those tensions. Allowing people to work in their own environment creates a less-stressed workforce who can still collaborate effectively.
Work will remain productive.
One of the main concerns employers have about the working from home concept is that employees will take advantage of the freedom or that distractions will hurt productivity. I has already spoken to my own experiences which contradict these concerns — and I’m not the only one. Studies have shown that homeworkers rank their productivity higher than office workers. Those who work from home also take fewer sick days, meaning more work is done overall. Though it may be hard to believe, there are in fact fewer distractions in a home setting which allows workers to keep focused and accomplish more.
Save money.
There are certain overhead costs to most any business that could easily to reduced by having a remote workforce. Take the actual office space, for example. How much do businesses spend on having a physical office? For some, it’s essential but for others, it merely serves as a place where everyone can work together. Heating, furnishing, electricity — a number of expenses are made unnecessary with remote workers. This allows more money to be spent on initiatives that will more directly benefits the company.
Employee satisfaction.
Any employer knows that a happy workforce is good for business. Workers with higher morale achieve more and produce a higher quality of work. As mentioned before, the home office situation, while not without its own struggles, is less stressful. It also helps to eliminate some of those annoying aspects of office life, like the commute Many professionals value a work-life balance most of all. Working from home helps those professionals create a work schedule that gives them more time with other aspects of their life while still being effective in their jobs. Employees are happier with the flexible work situation, leading to better work and less turnover.
Diverse team.
A company excels when they are able to build a team of diverse talents. While it’s possible to find talented professionals in an office setting, the work-from-home model gives employers more freedom to find the right people for their team. No need to find people who are willing to locate or advertise positions to only a local area. Employers can search for the right talent no matter where it happens to be. Also, the work-from-home offer will likely attract a more engaged and interested group of professionals.