3 Ways Remote Work Benefits Employers & Employees

Given how many perks there are to working remotely (zero commute time and greater levels of productivity, among others), it’s surprising that some employers remain reluctant to let their teams do it. However, they ought to reconsider, and not just for their employees’ morale.

The overwhelming majority of workers (95 percent) want to work remotely, and an almost-as-large majority (74 percent) would be willing to leave a job that didn’t let them do so, according to a recent study.

“Companies that don’t offer remote working options … are suffering because of it,” Gene Marks, a small-business owner and columnist for the Guardian writes in a recent piece. “It’s important to have a remote working policy.”

Below, we discuss the top three ways remote working helps both workers and employers thrive.

Better employee retention 

In line with the study cited above, employees are more likely to stay with an employer that allows them the flexibility of remote work, be that full- or part-time.

One study “found that employees are more loyal to companies that offer them increased flexibility,” Brit Morse writes in a recent piece for Inc.com. “The remote workers surveyed said they’re likely to stay in their current job for the next five years 13 percent more than on-site workers did.” Respondents were also happier and more willing to work long hours than their in-office counterparts, according to the piece.

Such loyalty can save a company significant headaches in the search for a replacement, as well as significant funds. Hiring workers to replace those who have left cost employers $617 billion in 2018, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Fewer disruptions

In this time of global uncertainty, widespread worry, and social distancing, the ability to simply open a laptop and get to work wherever it is you’re ‘sheltering in place’ is of enormous value. Employees who are fully at ease working from home save their employers valuable time and effort under even normal circumstances, but because they don’t require the training and ‘recalibration’ of traditional workers when a crisis hits and everyone must move home, their work is less apt to be disrupted during transitional periods as well.

Those who cowork, be they employees, entrepreneurs, solopreneurs or freelancers, benefit from this seamlessness in trying times, too. During periods of imposed or suggested quarantine, other perks of top coworking spaces can help fill in some of what’s being lost. Metro Offices‘ virtual-office solutions can help keep businesses running even when employees or small-business owners can’t cowork. Our many mail- and phone-service options are scalable and flexible and up and running even now.

No-borders talent pool

Those employers looking to hire onsite people are limited to potential team members who live in or within commuting distance of a specific city or town. Similarly, those seeking work for employers who hire only traditional workers must be in or near that location. Not so with remote employees or workers. In many industries, as long as employee and employer get sufficient call and ‘face time’ via video chat and/or telephone and there’s adequate communication between the parties during the workday, there’s no need for these people to be in the same office space — or even the same country.

What’s more, “giving employees the ability to work remotely can be particularly beneficial in locations or professions with skills shortages, as small businesses can widen their nets and work with the most talented individuals, regardless of where they’re based,” Irma Hunkeler writes in a blog post for Zippia.com.

Looking for professional, cost-effective office services while working remotely? Check out Metro Offices’ many virtual-office solutions today.

Similar articles you might be interested in:

Engage Your Remote Employees With Mobile 

Five American Takeaways from a European Coworking Survey

The Home-Based Business Guide to Virtual Offices

Kathlene Buchanan

As the founder of Metro Offices, she has championed workspace innovation since 1989, inspired by the creativity and drive of their 30,000+ clients. Woman-owned and locally focused, the company tailors its spaces to meet the unique needs of every business.

tags: coworking | dc remote workers