With technology in the palm of our hands, it seems as if we can work from anywhere, anytime. Granted, there are jobs that have less flexibility for remote working; however, many are more than capable of making the switch from on-site to any-site. If you're still trying to figure out if it makes sense for your organization, let me share a few advantages of telecommuting and how hybrid working can benefit both employers and employees, including potential real estate savings.
We're all competing for the same talent. Wading through the pool of talented candidates is tricky, and you've got to make sure you're ready to sell, sell, sell the opportunity. If you want to compete for talent acquisition, you must provide mobility options and flexible work arrangements. Offering remote working opportunities can significantly boost your appeal to potential hires, allowing you to tap into a global talent pool. This approach not only expands your reach but also creates diverse work opportunities for digital nomads and local professionals alike.
Exit interviews provide a lot of data as to why your employees are leaving. You might be surprised to learn that lack of flexibility is in the top 3 reasons an employee chooses to quit. You may not be able to provide a higher salary or better health care benefits, but if you can create an environment where hybrid remote work is an option, you may find that employees will grasp that and hang on. Hybrid work arrangements strike a work/life balance that is hard to resist and significantly harder to give up, leading to improved employee well-being and lower quit rates.
Global Workplace Analytics read over 500 teleworking-related studies and summarized the following productivity research:
Losing a valued employee can cost an employer $10,000 to $30,000.
Recruiting and training costs for a new hire can be substantial, impacting both finances and productivity.
14% of Americans have changed jobs to shorten the commute.
46% of companies that allow remote work say it has reduced attrition.
95% of employers say telework has a high impact on employee retention.
These statistics highlight the significant impact of remote working on employee turnover and job satisfaction. Human resources departments are increasingly recognizing the importance of offering telecommuting benefits to enhance employee engagement, career development opportunities, and overall employee benefits packages.
The long and crazy commute is also in the top 3 reasons an employee leaves one job for another. Driving an hour to work, one way, is miserable. It's often a waste of time. That hour spent in the car could be used more efficiently working from home. I know from experience; commuting is a terrible waste of resources (time, energy, and sanity). I live in the Washington, DC area with some of the country's worst traffic. I may be 20 miles from my client's office, but it can take me an hour or more to make that drive. And how do I spend that time? —Typically wishing I were somewhere else while dialing into conference calls from my "car office." Allow flexibility with a hybrid schedule and find that your work productivity rates increase.
Global Workplace Analytics reported the following in their productivity study on remote work productivity:
Best Buy, British Telecom, Dow Chemical, and many others show that remote workers are 35% to 40% more productive.
Over two-thirds of employers report increased productivity among their telecommuters.
Sun Microsystems' experience suggests that employees spend 60% of the commuting time they save performing work for the company.
American Express workers produced 43% more than their office-based counterparts.
These findings demonstrate the significant boost in remote productivity and WFH productivity that organizations can experience by implementing hybrid working arrangements. This increased productivity extends to various departments, including customer service, where remote work tools enable efficient communication and task management.
Ahh, meetings. We've all been to meetings that go off topic and drag out. When meetings are scheduled as a conference call or are web-based using video conferencing tools, we find that they tend to start on time and stay on topic. We all have a million things to do, and a long meeting doesn't facilitate our day. Remote working and hybrid schedules often lead to more efficient and focused meetings. Additionally, the shift towards asynchronous work allows for better time management and reduces the need for excessive meetings.
As productivity increases, so does performance. In fact, because you are working with virtual teams, performance management becomes more accurate. Leadership is more aware of what's getting done and what's lagging behind. Instead of showing your face, you are showing off your work product. And if you're not performing, it will be obvious. Clearly, HR and leadership will institute telework policies to measure and account for expectations. However, performance will no longer be about showing up to work on time. Or even FaceTime, for that matter. It will be about results. This shift in focus allows for more meaningful performance reviews and creates opportunities for employee recognition based on actual achievements.
Your organization may have restrictions that inhibit you from allowing such a policy. However, it is encouraged to find a way to allow for some form of flexibility. That could mean working 4, 10-hour days and having one day off each week. It could mean working core hours in the office with flexibility on arrival and departure to account for traffic. You could provide other hybrid working arrangements as well, tailoring them to suit both employee empowerment and business needs.
Remote working, telecommuting, working from home, working from Starbucks... whatever you call it, consider it a strategy for cost savings across the board. Saved time, energy, and expense. The benefits of telecommuting extend beyond just employee satisfaction – they include reduced commuting costs, lower overhead for office space, decreased utility bills and energy consumption, and increased productivity. It's worth the effort to make remote working work for both WFH employees and employers alike, especially when considering the potential for real estate savings.
In conclusion, the costs and benefits of implementing flexible work arrangements are clear. From improved talent acquisition and retention to increased work productivity and employee engagement, the advantages of telecommuting are numerous. As more organizations embrace hybrid WFH models, they're discovering that remote work productivity can lead to significant improvements in overall performance and job satisfaction.
Moreover, the shift to remote work brings additional benefits such as enhanced business continuity and disaster preparedness, as companies are better equipped to handle unexpected disruptions. It also contributes to environmental benefits by reducing commuter traffic and office energy consumption. However, organizations must also address challenges like data security and effective workforce management in a distributed environment.
By offering these options, companies can create a more adaptable, efficient, and satisfied workforce ready to meet the challenges of the modern business landscape. The flexibility of hybrid remote work not only improves employee well-being but also allows businesses to tap into a global talent pool, reduce real estate costs, and minimize training expenses associated with high turnover rates. As we move forward, it's clear that embracing remote and hybrid working models is not just a trend but a strategic approach to building a resilient, productive, and future-ready organization that can benefit from substantial real estate savings and improved operational efficiency.
Ans: Teleworking, also called remote work or telecommuting, allows employees to perform their job duties outside a traditional office setting. Benefits include increased employee productivity, improved work-life balance, reduced commuting stress, and higher retention rates. Employers save on overhead costs and can attract a wider talent pool.
Ans: Yes. Flexible work arrangements rank among the top reasons employees choose to stay with a company. Studies show that companies offering telework options reduce attrition, and employees often remain longer when they have work-from-home flexibility.
Ans: Teleworking often increases productivity because employees save time on commuting and can focus on results rather than face time. Research indicates remote employees can be 35–40% more productive than their office-based peers, and performance measurement becomes more results-driven rather than attendance-based.
Ans: Effective telework management includes setting clear expectations, defining core work hours, leveraging communication and project management tools, tracking performance outcomes, and maintaining regular virtual check-ins. Meetings should be concise, goal-focused, and scheduled with flexibility in mind.
Ans: Even partial flexibility can provide major benefits. Options include hybrid schedules, staggered start and end times, four-day workweeks, or allowing remote work a few days per week. The key is to tailor teleworking policies to both organizational requirements and employee needs to maximize engagement and productivity.