What Are Advantages of Hiring Remote Talent?

The pandemic accelerated the growing remote work trend. As more offices begin to reopen, companies weigh in on the options of extending remote opportunities to their current employees and looking to hire remote workers. And while it may be apparent why more employees favor remote work, some business leaders are still not convinced. 

In 2020, at nTech Workforce, we adopted a remote-first policy for our internal employees. Today nearly 50% of nTech’s global workforce operates fully remote. 

In this edition of nSider, Arthur Raniser, Director of Business Strategy shares his opinion on the advantages of hiring remote talent for a business. 

Remote Work Increases Productivity 

Research by The Muse, notes that 77% of workers say they are more productive while working from home. Additionally, 24% of these remote workers also shared they would be willing to work longer hours to complete more tasks. 

Arthur shares his views on productivity levels associated with different roles: 

It’s easy to speculate whether remote workers are productive. There are jobs where workers may be less productive; to take an extreme example, it’s hard for an ICU nurse or a line worker to be productive remotely, as their work is hands-on. On the contrary, a knowledge worker, subject-matter expert, or strategist may be more productive when they have more control over disruptions.  

According to a Harvard Business School report, Work-From-Anywhere: The Productivity Effects of Geographic Flexibility, remote working is a competitive advantage; specifically, remote workers are: “more likely to exert greater effort while working at the firm, and might be [motivated] to stay longer at the firm…” 

An increase in productivity and tenure greatly reduces costs associated with burnout and turnover, such as the costs of recruiting, training, wellness, mistakes, and speed to market.

Remote Work Reduces Overhead Costs

Research by Global Workplace Analytics notes that employers can save an average of $11,000 per half-time remote worker per year. The research attributes these savings to lower real estate costs, a reduction in turnover, and an increase in productivity. 

Ransier adds, “By opening the gates to remote workers, employers increase the available supply of workers and decrease the demand for local talent; all else being equal, allowing remote work should contribute to a reduction in payroll costs.” 

Remote Work Improves Employee Retention 

Employee retention cannot be solved by simply implementing a remote-first policy. 

Ransier emphasizes that “...remote working is about relinquishing control of where workers work; whether it’s better or worse doesn’t change that workers increasingly demand flexibility.” 

For example, the quality of life for workers can increase through remote working, by enabling workers to live wherever they want, rather than where they can earn a living. Further, workers can reclaim their commute time.

According to SHRM, 58% of employees who left a job due to workplace culture say a toxic manager is the main reason they left. It is up to each organization to develop a balanced culture that builds trust and accountability between leaders and their employees. 

Remote Work Gives You Access to a Bigger Talent Pool 

By expanding the geographic footprint of candidates, remote working helps to democratize work – that is to say, remote working provides increasingly greater access to jobs for those in rural areas and across other states.

ASB Resources notes that “sometimes the best talent for a position may be across state borders. Having the ability to offer a remote role allows companies to hire the best without incurring the cost of relocation.”

Ransier adds that “remote work, when paired with schedule flexibility, makes work possible for certain groups of people, such as working parents, those with disabilities, or others with limitations for traveling to a workplace.” 

Remote Work Contributes to the Environment

ASB Resources shares that the reduction in commute times and expenses also provides net value to the environment. Having fewer people to and from work reduces fuel emissions in various forms of transportation. 

According to Ransier, there are two sides to be considered when it comes to environmental impact: 

I can see both sides of an argument about the environmental impact of remote working. On the one hand, there are fewer commuters and fewer people in big cities resulting in fewer vehicle emissions and pollution. On the other hand, more people are working from home and residential energy consumption increases. 

The United States Energy Information Administration reported that energy-related CO2 emissions declined by 11% in 2020 – a reduction that led to the least CO2 emissions from energy in nearly 40 years.

Remote Work Makes Sense

Remote-first practices at nTech have led to greater productivity. This has been measured by greater progress against stretch objectives, an increase in business meetings with prospects, and engagement of employees that wouldn't otherwise be possible.

As a result of our remote-first policy, we have added new employees in different time zones and have also been able to retain a working mom and college student part-time.

We've leased out our office space and are exploring more flexible workspaces to suit a hybrid model that offers greater amenities and a better experience for those who prefer working in the office.

Ensure Your Business Growth

Whether you’re ready to transition your organization into a full-time remote operation, a hybrid version, or plan on going back to the office, nTech Workforce is here to help.

nTech offers staff augmentation and direct hire staffing solutions that align with your specific business needs. Let one of our dedicated team members guide your business on a path for growth today.