Telecommuting, remote working, whatever your preferred term is, it’s becoming a global trend. Why? As technology improves and makes the distance between employer and employee meaningless, the question becomes “why not?” Research has shown that telecommuting programs provide incredible benefit, not just to employees but to businesses as well. Here are the top 5 reasons why:
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It Makes for Happier Employees
When an employee is serious about their job, they will want to do the best work they possibly can. That means that they might spend a lot of time away from home, which can be quite detrimental to their mental health. When people can work remotely the balance between work and home life is much easier to maintain. A full third of employees say that they would choose to work remotely over a pay raise, and 8 out of 10 said they consider it a perk.
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The Talent Pool Goes From Kiddie to Olympic Sized
The right person for the job might not be in your city, they might not be in your state, and they might not be in your country. When you open yourself up to the idea of telecommuting, the whole world is open for recruiting. In an employee survey, 75% of respondents said the option for a remote work program would be influential in their next job search
Also, if you offer a telework program you may not need to base your operations in a major–and majorly expensive–commercial hub, which brings us to the next key benefit.
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Overhead Costs Plummet
More people in a building means that the building has to be larger, which means more money spent on real estate, electricity, heating and air conditioning. Companies with a full-time remote working program save $10,000 a year for every employee who telecommutes–and that’s on real estate alone.
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No More Bullying
When you hire someone sight-unseen you can’t discriminate based on looks, background, or much of anything else. Furthermore, no one can be subjected to any abuse or bullying from fellow co-workers. How many times has an inter-office spat brought the workflow to a halt? Â Also, it is a cost-effective way of achieving ADA compliance.
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More Work Gets Done
Businesses lose $600 billion a year because of workplace distractions. Studies suggest that worker productivity goes up by 40% when working remotely. Those same studies also suggest that remote employees use the time they normally spend commuting to work on projects, and that web-based meetings and conferences are much quicker and more efficient.
Remote working will make your employees happy, and, conveniently enough, make you more money in the process. If you haven’t thought about implementing a remote working program in your office, now is a great time to consider it.
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