9 Benefits of Hiring Remote Workers

Remote work is on the rise. In fact, Gallup reports that fully remote workers have tripled since 2019, and that trend is expected to continue until 75% of the workforce is hybrid or remote. 

Even now that COVID-19 woes have wound down, remote work continues to gain steam. And there are plenty of reasons why. For one, it's highly beneficial for employees. 

From saving time and money to increased flexibility, working remotely has many benefits for remote workers. However, remote work isn't just beneficial for the employees. It also offers several advantages for employers. 

In this article, we're taking a closer look at the benefits of remote workers for employees and why now is an excellent time to make the switch (if you haven't already). 

9 Benefits of remote workers

These nine benefits are some of the top reasons employers are moving toward fully-remote operations. 

1. Greater access to talent

For a traditional, in-person job, companies could only hire local employees or those who would relocate for the job. There is a limited pool of employees from which a company can utilize, but this is not an issue for remote work.

Remote workers can be from anywhere in the world, making it easier to find the best fit for the position while saving money on the hiring process itself. In other words, when you open yourself up to remote employees, your available talent pool becomes much larger. 

2. Access to top talent

Without the geographical limitations of an in-person position, you instantly have access to a larger pool of skilled and experienced applicants. The best fit for a position could be anywhere in the world. And with skill shortages on the rise, having access to top talent can be critical to keeping your company moving forward.  

3. Increased productivity

Studies have shown that productivity is increased for work-from-home employees. At home, there are fewer distractions, flexibility to take breaks at times that will best benefit the employee and increased productivity due to working in an environment where the employee is most comfortable.

It's normal for employers to be nervous about the productivity of their remote workers since there is less supervision than there would be for in-person employees. However, these concerns quickly dissipate when productivity starts to rise. Remote workers will get more work done, and the results will benefit everyone involved.

4. Lower overhead costs

On-site work requires overhead costs, including office supplies, utilities and rent. The more in-person employees you have, the larger the office space must be and the greater your costs will be. Shifting employees to remote working can help reduce these costs.

In fact, recent research shows that businesses will save $500 billion every year in electricity, real estate, turnover, absenteeism and productivity if employees are allowed to work from home at least half the time. Ultimately, you can expect to save around $11,000 in savings per year per each remote employee. 

5. Increased retention rates

Employees tend to enjoy working from home because of the work-life balance that comes with remote work. And happy employees stay longer. Employee retention can be a significant concern for companies, as losing employees is costly and inefficient. Remote work eases this concern since it reduces turnover by around 26%.  

6. Lower environmental impact

There are many benefits of hiring virtual employees that help the environment, not just the employers and employees.

• No need to commute, which reduces emissions from cars
• Reduced electric, gas and water use at an in-person office
• Reduced demand for air travel related to work
• Reduction in paper due to digitization

7. Improved diversity

Remote talent can come from anywhere in the world. And when you hire global talent, your company's diversity naturally increases. Diversity is a value shared by many companies, and committing to this value is essential for numerous data-backed reasons.

For example, diverse companies are 35% likelier to outperform their competitors and 70% more likely to win new markets. Additionally, diver teams have 19% more revenue and are nearly 90% better at making decisions than their less diverse counterparts. 

8. Lower absenteeism

Having an employee call out of work can affect the productivity of other employees and cause lost time and money for the company. With remote work, there's less absenteeism because it's easier to work when sick, out of town or for any other reason that might otherwise lead to an employee calling out. In fact, 56% of employees say they have reduced their absences since becoming remote. 

9. Happier employees overall

Remote workers tend to be happier than in-person workers. They get to work in their home where they feel most comfortable, and they can arrange their space however it best suits them.

Additionally, remote workers tend to have a better work-life balance. With remote work, hours are more flexible, and employees can take breaks when they need them. They also save time by not having to commute, and this increased flexibility allows for more time to rest and relax.

Happier, engaged employees provide many benefits for a company. Studies have shown that engaged employees are more productive, loyal and present in their roles. 

Ready to hire top remote workers from around the world?

Clearly, there are many benefits to hiring remote workers. If you're ready to expand your remote team, we can help. 

As Employer of Record, Outstaffer.com makes it easy to find, hire and pay remote workers from around the world in just a few clicks. Plus, with solutions like our Managed Devices, Workforce Monitoring and VR Workplaces, we give your global team everything they need to thrive. 

Schedule your demo today.