6 Advantages of a Remote Team

While there have been several shifts in the employment landscape throughout the last decade, none were perhaps as attention-grabbing as the increasing fleet of remote workers. Just a few years ago, the idea of being able to work right in the comforts of your humble abode would have seemed out of reach. Nowadays, however, it's fairly common to find job postings that list "remote work" as a perk to encourage more applications.

In 2015 alone, as much as 23 percent of staff reported doing some of their work from outside the office, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Conducting further research will bring you to similar statistics. So why are more and more people choosing to work remote? And are there any benefits of remote working for employers?

Here are six reasons why this massive shift is transpiring:

1. Reduced Travel Time

Some companies only offer a few days every week for remote work, but even just one or two days of being able to work from home can cut your commute time by several hours. If your commute time to and from work takes 2 hours roundtrip, that's 4 hours of time conserved if you work from home two days of every week.

2. Reduced Costs

Not having to commute to and from work means you don't need to pay $2.50 for a one-way bus or train ticket. Sure, the costs seem infinitesimal, but they can add up over time. In fact, according to a survey report by Citi, workers spend an average of 200 hours per year commuting to and from work, which produces roughly $2,600 in costs. Broken down, that's a daily cost of $10 just on transportation alone. Add to that the cost of meals, which in most cases cost more than when you prepare and cook meals at home.

3. Reduced Stress

Prolonged exposure to stress in the workplace can lead to health conditions, such as heart disease. Allowing your employees a temporary reprieve by working from home a few days every week can foster a healthy and high-performance workforce. Employees get stressed less when they can see their kids or work in their own private space rather than be suffocated in a 4x4 cubicle and having to deal with office politics and drama with coworkers.

4. Increased Productivity

The benefits of increasing productivity to the workers and management is perhaps the most sought after reason why employers are now offering the option for remote workdays. Based on the State of Work Productivity Report, as much as 65 percent of full-time staff think that telecommuting can boost productivity levels in the workplace. This data is supported by over 75 percent of managers reporting a noticeable boost in workplace productivity from their telecommuting staff.

5. Lower Costs For the Employer

If a considerable portion of your staff is remote workers, then you can rent a smaller space to manage day-to-day operations. Most businesses, especially cash-strapped tech startups, choose to rent a coworking space, which allows them to establish a physical location without having to bear the full cost of the lease, utilities, and other overhead expenses. That being said, employers who do choose to set up base in a coworking space must abide by proper shared office space etiquette. Since you are merely sharing the space with other businesses and their employees, you'll need to follow the rules to work in the shared office.

6. Lower Employee Turnover Rate

This benefit is perhaps the culmination of the first several benefits mentioned in this article. By offering your staff members the option to telecommute a certain number of days per week, stress levels are reduced and overall satisfaction rating is increased. If an employee is satisfied with his/her workplace, they don't easily jump ship to another company the first chance they get. A lower employee turnover rate means lower costs from having to rehire and retrain to fill positions.

Final Thoughts

Working remotely undoubtedly has benefits not only for the employees but also for employers. The simple approach can streamline operations and turn your business into a lean machine with lower costs, higher employee satisfaction, and overall consistent growth.