Like all managerial decisions, allowing your employees to go remote comes with its unique set of benefits and drawbacks. If you’re considering offering your crew the chance to work from home, here are a few factors to consider:
Access to a broader pool of talent
When your company offers remote work, the policy does more than just benefit your current employees — it also opens the door for out-of-town talent. Why limit your hiring search to your company’s neighborhood? You could find someone with the perfect skillset on the other side of the country. When you’re willing to have remote workers, you could recruit a star player with the skills your business needs to thrive. However, as with any hiring decision, you run the risk of picking a dud. To verify the skills of a potential remote hire, Forbes Councils Member Sean Hopwood suggests conducting thorough video interviews, checking the applicant’s credentials with a fine-toothed comb, and being open about your remote work guidelines.
Employee suitability
Some employees are cut out for remote work — according to Hopwood, research has found offsite employees can be more productive than their in-office counterparts. However, not all employees are cut out to be self-starters. You may find some team members lack the discipline to meet their deadlines or quotas when working from home. When offering the opportunity to work from home, be sure to establish clear boundaries with your crew. And if you suspect that one of your workers is going AWOL on the job, Hopwood suggests having your telecommuter submit a few friends or family members that management can contact to confirm the employee’s whereabouts.
Lower overhead costs
Offering remote work can help you cut down on your operational costs. When expanding your team, you won’t have to worry about furnishing another cubicle in a growingly cramped office. If your team goes fully remote, you won’t even have to worry about maintaining a brick-and-mortar establishment — which means you can invest your money in other aspects of growing your company, suggests Forbes Councils Member Chris Dreyer.
Legal considerations
While working from home may make certain aspects of running your company easier, it could complicate your paperwork. Dreyer explains states and jurisdictions can have differing payroll laws, taxation rates, and minimum wage requirements. Juggling these specifications can be particularly tough if you have a large crew.
Work-life balance and wellness
A healthy work-life balance can promote employee wellness and satisfaction. When you allow your employees to work from home, you’re sparing them the stress of their daily commute. That means they’ll have the opportunity to save on gas, put fewer miles on their vehicles, and even get more sleep. Sean Hopwood also notes remote workers won’t be able to spread seasonal sicknesses to each other. In other words, with some (or all) of your team working remotely, you’ll be less likely to have your whole staff wracked by the flu during the holiday rush.
Workplace camaraderie
With a distributed workforce, your team will primarily interact via video calls and emails. This can lead to feelings of isolation, explains Investopedia contributor Sarah Chandler. However, you can attempt to offset this drawback by offering your employees a variety of chances to socialize. Options include in-person after-work meetups, online group activities, and easy communication via a messaging app like Mattermost or Slack.
If you’re considering putting remote work on the table for your team, talk it over with your business partner and team. Together, you could craft policies that benefit both your company and your crew.