Remote working has captured workforces globally, and it shows no signs of going away. Whilst businesses are moving towards more hybrid working models, with employees expected to do on average two or three days in the office, and free to complete the other two or three days of the week where they please, it does appear that the appetite for keeping a remote/hybrid approach is here to stay.
There are numerous benefits to businesses for doing so. We’ve covered four of the main benefits here.
Employee attraction & retention
Businesses can repeat huge benefits by operating a remote or hybrid working policy. Firstly, it opens up the candidate market in a way they have previously been unable to access. For example, with the expectation or requirement that employees work from a specific office location five days a week, the candidate market is narrow. Depending on the role, salary and benefits, businesses can expect to attract candidates from a maximum commute of 1-hour pre-COVID, and probably somewhere in the region of 20-30 minutes nowadays.
But with businesses either requiring people to work from a physical office location less frequently or indeed offering a remote-first approach, whereby they meet up as a collective maybe one a quarter, the reach is much great.
Requiring people to be in a specific office location regularly is a lot more limiting, it must be said. But if, say, you required one day a week onsite and the other elsewhere, you could attract somebody from a 60-90-minute commute away if the role, salary and benefits are right. If you operate a remote-first approach, with no expectation, you could look much further – miles apart, and even overseas. It makes the opportunity to find the right candidate much easier, and you could even access cheaper candidate markets than the UK.
For pretty much the same reasons as above, a hybrid or remote-first approach keeps employees happy. Very few people want to be in the office all of the time. Most (from experience) want a blended mix of both. They want some office time, but some time at home with their partners, pets or just themselves. There’s nothing like having control of the music and heating.
Reduced business costs
Financially, it makes complete sense. Fewer people in the office equals less expenditure generally.
That’s less heating and electricity, which in 2022 is not something to dismiss. But it’s also less tea, coffee, milk, cereals, and whatever else you offer your employees within the office. Every little cost adds up, and depending on the business size, the cost saving could be substantial.
Thinking at an even greater scale, businesses that previously had to operate from large physical spaces can downsize, which would offer potentially eye-watering cost savings.
Employee productivity
Despite recent survey data suggesting businesses do not trust employees to be productive in the office, there are productivity benefits. Significant ones too.
If employees feel trusted, they will deliver. By offering them roles on their terms, they will be productive. And productivity drives business growth.
I dare say, those who do not trust their employees probably micro-manage them. And nobody likes to be micro-managed, do they?
