The Business Benefits to Hiring Remote Workers

You’ve heard us talk about this before, but it bears repeating – it’s a tight job market right now, and it’s tough to find qualified candidates!

In Canada, unemployment rates are at an all-time low, and it’s a challenge for employers to find qualified employees to fill vacancies. Many of our clients are located in Victoria, where we boast the lowest unemployment rate in Canada, at just 3.3 percent. This means stiff competition to recruit locally and place the right talent in the right roles.

“There are big business benefits to hiring remote workers or allowing existing employees to work from home!”

Getting creative with your hiring strategy is the simplest way to increase the chances of finding the right fit. One simple way to do this? Expand the geographical region of your search, and consider hiring a remote employee.

While taking on a remote worker can seem like a daunting proposition, there are big business benefits to hiring remote workers or allowing existing employees to work from home!

1. Access to non-local talent – by thinking outside of your geographical region when it comes to hiring, you can access a much larger talent pool of global talent. This means less compromise, and an increased ability to hire candidates with the exact skills you’re looking for.
2. Lower overhead – it costs money to pay for square footage and to keep the lights on! By allowing employees to work from home, your space requirements shrink, which can reduce overhead significantly.
3. Ditch the commute – it’s no secret that people hate being stuck in traffic. By allowing employees to reduce or eliminate their daily commute times, you’re promoting a healthy work-life balance, and allowing them the flexibility to fit in more of those “life” activities. Fewer commuters on the road also has positive environmental impacts. By reducing commuter traffic, organizations can do their part in helping to decrease fossil fuel consumption and lower emissions.
4. Fewer distractions – many remote workers actually feel more productive than their in-office colleagues. With fewer interruptions and less frequent chat breaks with coworkers, employees are left to focus on their job duties!
5. Flexibility gives you a competitive edge – many employees, particularly millennials and those who are family caregivers, are looking for the flexibility to integrate work and home life. And with lots of jobs on the market, allowing flexible working arrangements could be what sets you apart as an employer. Working remotely on a full or part time basis also allows employees the ability to flex their own schedules to align with when they’re most productive, instead of forcing “productivity” during a narrow 9-5 time window.
6. Take advantage of technology – it has never been easier to stay connected with coworkers and managers. Tools like Skype, mobile devices, instant messaging and unified communication tools are user friendly and widely available. For many organizations, a phone and internet connection fulfills the basics of what an employee needs to be productive in a home office.

We know that taking on remote employees isn’t a possibility for all organizations, and doesn’t work for every position. There are some positions that require an in-person presence. Telecommuting also requires a high level of trust, constant communication, and the ability to focus on results and delegate completely, so it’s good to make sure you’re really ready before taking the leap!

Your Engaged Assignment: Having trouble hiring the right people from your local candidate pool, or experiencing difficulties with retention? There’s no time like the present to look at taking on a remote worker or allowing existing employees to work from home as a perk!

Thinking of taking on a remote worker and want to make sure the integration goes smoothly? We’re happy to share what we’ve learned!