Beyond broadening your talent pool and the cost savings associated with having a remote workforce, remote work often has an even bigger benefit: it can increase a company’s chances of having a more loyal workforce.
Below are just some of the reasons why remote work leads to more loyal employees:
Employees can have better work-life balance.
Perhaps the biggest reason why remote work leads to more loyal employees is the fact that they can finally have, once and for all, some semblance of work-life balance. No longer do they have to schedule medical appointments before (or after) work, miss out on important events at their children’s schools because they conflict with an in-office meeting, or have to provide subpar quality care to loved ones.
They are able to mesh both the professional and personal, without having to give one up for the other. Studies have shown that having work-life balance can be even more important to employees than their salary!
Employees are often able to pursue their passions.
Imagine spending time commuting into work and being stuck at the office all day, only to have to commute back home and then make dinner, take care of kids—and everything else that couldn’t get done during your workday. It definitely doesn’t leave much time for the things you love, like hobbies or projects.
But when employees are able to telecommute, they can bring home a paycheck and pursue their passions, too. Having that ability to be financially secure and still do what you love means that there’s no reason to look for work elsewhere.
They typically appreciate not having to commute.
Unless your commute is picturesque, short, and sans traffic, the chances of actually enjoying it are kind of slim to none. Plus, commuting is often a serious time vampire: time squished against fellow cranky commuters, which could be better spent doing other things—like working.
For remote employees, not having to commute into the workplace means they may be able to start (and end) their workday earlier. It means less time spent idling in traffic and more time being productive and getting your work completed.
They usually feel appreciated.
Some employers are still on the fence about implementing a remote work policy for their workers. They fear that out-of-sight employees equals employees not working. That’s simply not the case, and remote employers know this to be exactly the opposite. When staffers telecommute, their productivity often soars, even more so than their colleagues who are working in traditional office spaces.
As for employees, knowing that your employer trusts you to get your work done (and doesn’t have to micromanage you or incessantly check to make sure that you’re working) means that there can be a greater focus on producing quality work—and feeling like a valued and respected member of the team.
It often saves them money.
If you’ve ever calculated how much money is spent to have an in-office job (i.e., purchasing office-ready attire, commuting costs, lunches, etc.), well, it can get pretty pricey. But all of those expenses are eliminated when employees are allowed to work remotely. That means that the money that was once shelled out to have an office job stays right in the employee’s pocket.
Being able to retain more of your savings—without having to reinvest it into actually getting to work—means that employees will be more grateful to work for your remote company, and in turn, more loyal.
Interested in hiring remote workers? Post a remote job!
Photo Credit: bigstockphoto.com
By Jennifer Parris | Categories: Why Go Remote