Remote work is changing the world of business, but don’t feel alone if you still aren’t sure if it’s right for your company. You may be tempted to require all of your employees to come into the office every single day, but they are likely to be unhappy about that if they have gotten a taste of what it’s like to work from home.
It’s true that there’s a lot for employees to like about working from home, but there’s a lot businesses can be happy about too.
It Can Be Done Securely
One of the biggest concerns regarding employees working from home involves security. When you don’t have control over the devices or the networks they use, it’s easy to have network security concerns with working remotely.
Although it’s true that working from home can be dangerous, it can also be done safely if you know what to do to boost your cybersecurity. For example, you can rely on a DNS provider that can make sure your employees access information safely from a wide variety of devices.
If you’re really worried about it, you can consider providing your employees with the devices they should use while they’re working. Training can go a long way too. Train employees to secure their Wi-Fi, why it’s important not to access public Wi-Fi, and require employees to choose complex passwords when it’s time to change them.
You’ll Save Money
Employees like working from home because it saves them money. They don’t have to spend money on transportation, and they aren’t tempted to stop by the vending machine or pay a little too much for a cheeseburger in the cafeteria.
It’s also true that letting employees work from home can save companies money too because there’s:
- Less spending on rent and utilities
- Less of a need to pay for cleaning services
- No need to provide food or refreshments for meetings
- A reduced tax burden for accommodating remote workers
Employees Are More Responsive
For better or for worse, remote workers tend to put in longer hours than employees who work in the office. Chances are, that’s because it’s harder to maintain a work-life balance, which is something you may want to work on. Employees who work long hours tend to burn out faster, which isn’t good for business.
However, if you get your employees’ work hours under control, they are still likely to work flexible hours. That means they may be available first thing in the morning, again after lunch, and again after dinner. This provides supervisors and managers with more opportunities to communicate with their workforce. Instead of only being available for eight hours during the day, remote employees are often available throughout the entire day, which could impact your business in positive ways.
Increased Productivity
Your employees are the backbone of your business. You can only grow as much as they’re willing to put in their effort. It turns out that’s a lot easier for most people to do when they work from home.
One study found that remote employees work 1.4 more days per month than their office-based counterparts. That adds up to three extra weeks of work per year.
Even if your employees aren’t putting in extra time, they are more likely to utilize the time they do have better. Employees who work from home have complete control over their environment. It’s not too cold or too hot, they can sit in a comfortable chair, and they don’t have to worry about someone in a nearby cubicle distracting them.
More Likely to Be Satisfied with Their Job
There are a lot of benefits for workers when it comes to working from home, like eliminating commute times, the ability to work anywhere, and the fact that it’s easier to find a work-life balance, especially for employees with families.
When you allow your employees to enjoy those benefits, they are much more likely to be satisfied with their job. That means they will work harder when they are on the clock, and they are much less likely to search for another job, reducing the costs associated with employee turnover.
Although it may sound nice to have everyone in the office at exactly the same times on exactly the same days, it turns out there’s a lot to be gained when you allow your employees to work from home. Whether you decide to take the dive and have a completely remote workforce or employees have to come into the office at least some of the time, your business can operate more safely and more successfully than you ever imagined with a remote workforce.
