Telecommuting has been rapidly on the rise in recent years. Mostly, it’s because advances in communication, data sharing, and other technologies make it ever easier and more cost-effective to get things done without team members having to be in the same location. And, as this happens, we keep realizing there are more and more good reasons to hire remote workers.
Of course, telecommuting isn’t right for every business, job, employer, or employee or contractor. For example, sometimes physical presence is required to perform certain functions, some processes just work best when everyone’s in the same building, and some people don’t do their best work when they’re physically isolated from the rest of the team or some form of supervision.
But if you’ve determined that certain positions can be filled by off-site staff, there are a number of compelling reasons to hire remote workers in these instances. If they outweigh any foreseeable drawbacks, it makes sense to avail yourself of this option.
Here’s a quick look at just some of these reasons to hire remote workers.
Benefits of Hiring Remote Workers
- Telecommuters reduce overhead expenditure. Cutting down on the number of people you have to support on site can mean less required space, reduced equipment needs, fewer office supplies and pieces of furniture, less utility consumption, and other savings.
- Remote workers are more productive. What once seemed counterintuitive is now accepted as fact, thanks to study after study. While not everyone thrives working from home, those well suited to it are considerably more productive, largely thanks to the lack of common workplace distractions (and also because telecommuters are extra concerned about avoiding the appearance that they slack off). Furthermore, because of increased flexibility and not needing to go into the office, telecommuters take fewer sick days and less paid and unpaid time off.
- You have access to a wider pool of talent. If you’re not limited to hiring people within commuting range of your site, and can instead work with people anywhere in the country or the world, obviously you have exponentially more candidates to choose from. For positions that call for a highly specialized skill set, this can be a particular boon. It’s also easier to achieve greater diversity in your workforce this way.
- Telecommuters are happier. Working from home offers employees plenty of benefits. They’re spared the hassle and costs (monetary and time) of commuting, they can work in their pajamas from the comfort of their own home, they have more flexibility, and so on. This is another reason for increased productivity, and it also means higher quality work, more positive representation of your brand, and less employee turnover (and with it, less wasted time and money).
- It’s an eco-friendly approach to doing business. Commuting makes a massive carbon footprint in America, especially in areas where most workers don’t use public transportation. Every commute you eliminate reduces gasoline consumption and environmentally harmful vehicle emissions. A green approach is good for the Earth, and it demonstrates corporate responsibility, appeals to consumers, and appeals to employees—especially younger talent.
