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Written by: Kevin Gardner
A lot of businesses suddenly started allowing remote work in response to the coronavirus pandemic. As companies return to a more normal mode of operation, the question needs to be asked: should teams go back to normal? Working from home is clearly a workable solution for a lot of businesses. So, maybe you should keep doing it. Here are six reasons to let your team continue working from home:
1. It’s Cheaper
First and foremost, running a remote team is significantly less expensive than renting office space. There may be some additional tools you need to empower your team to work from home. However, the cost of acquiring and maintaining them pales in comparison with real estate.
Naturally, you don’t have to switch to being completely remote. However, even running a flexible workspace can save you a lot of money over time. Depending on where you are located, you could be spending thousands a year per employee for office space.
2. You Can Satisfy Employee Wants
A lot of people want to be able to work from home. Many would opt to work remotely all the time if given the opportunity. So, by allowing long-term remote work, you are satisfying a want that your employees may have.
In many cases, working from home gives people more control over their schedules and work styles. So, they can choose to work more in the evening or morning depending on their preferences. Plus, it shifts evaluation toward performance rather than timeliness.
3. You Aren’t Giving Up Much
Traditionally, the main argument for offices was that they were more efficient. People needed to be in company-operated workspaces to be able to do their jobs. However, that isn’t really the case anymore. You may give up a little face-to-face interaction, but with all these benefits, is that such a sacrifice?
Certainly, teams have some new questions they have to address to help them work from home. How do we stay on the same page? How do we keep our data secure? What is SSL? But, the answers to these are simple. They are much cheaper to fix than running an unnecessary office for a team that would rather work remotely.
4. It Removes Geographic Talent Limitations
Hiring talented people is the key to running a successful business. If you are working out of a physical office space, you are largely limited to hiring people who are in the same area as your business. Even the brands have to provide relocation packages and ask would-be employees to move. This is totally unnecessary. Working remotely means that you can hire from anywhere without the hassle of them having to move.
5. You Can Increase Productivity
In a lot of cases, working from home increases productivity. People are less distracted by conversations around the office or inefficient work environments designed by someone else. If you ask most professionals, they will say that they get more done when they work from home.
If you are hiring talented and driven people, they are going to work hard no matter what environment they are in. So, why not let them set up their own workspaces at home rather than expect them all to benefit from the same space. You can even give them a budget to set themselves up.
6. Better Employee Wellness
In a similar vein, employees can take care of their needs more easily when they work from home. This is good for wellness and health. This is even truer if you let them set their own schedules. When people are in control of their professional lives, they can make the decisions they need to optimize their health, wellness and productivity. Trusting your team is at the heart of working from home and it works.
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You don’t have to switch to being entirely remote to begin enjoying these benefits. Try just letting people work remotely when they want to. You will quickly see the advantages.
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