Provisional Blog

With record high gas prices and the evolution of technology like video conferencing, working remotely (also known as telecommuting) has become commonplace for employees at companies large and small. As one of the Northwest’s leading staffing firms, we’ve seen it firsthand. And in fact, according to a recent survey conducted by Skype, approximately 62% of the companies surveyed allow employees to work remotely. Of those companies, 34% of employees work remotely occasionally, stating they spend about 40% of their work hours at home.

Besides benefiting the employee – in the form of a more flexible schedule, as well as significant savings in commuting time and gas costs – allowing employees to work remotely can also benefit your company in many ways:

• Attract better talent and retain existing talent. Not every business out there lets employees telecommute. So if yours does, you could get a leg up on your competition in terms of hiring and retaining top talent. In fact, according to research conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), one of the best ways to attract and retain talent is to provide flexible work arrangements.
• Lower overhead costs. Increased loyalty translates into lower turnover and lower recruitment costs. In addition, you can save on the cost of office space, light and heat, supplies, equipment and furniture.
• Access specialized talent anywhere in the world. If you have a talent gap that the Northwest labor market isn’t able to fill, you can reach out to candidates around the U.S., and around the globe, to find the people you need, and put them to work.
• Increase productivity. Employee productivity can increase thanks to fewer distractions and interruptions, as well as the ability to work during most productive hours, whether it’s first thing in the morning or late at night. In fact, nearly 90% of telecommuting employees reported that their productivity improved, according to a 2007 work/life balance article published by SHRM.

Along with all the advantages that working remotely offers, there are some disadvantages, as well:

• Lost opportunities for team building. Working remotely can eliminate some or most of the bonding time that is essential for team building. In addition, some of the day-to-day office interactions, such as chatting in the lunchroom, will be lost. To combat this, you may need to schedule mandatory face-to-face time with your team members.
• Tension between on-site and telecommuting employees. Obviously, there are certain positions that require an employee to be on-site at all times. Employees who hold those positions may develop a sense of animosity towards employees who are able to work from home.
• Potential for increased frustration. It’s important to create a policy for remote employees that covers issues like mandatory work hours. Otherwise, both you and the telecommuting employee will be facing misunderstandings and frustration.

The decision to let employees work remotely, or require they work on-site, is up to you. Regardless of what you choose, you still need qualified and dependable people to get the job done. That’s where Provisional comes in. For more than 15 years, we’ve been one of the Northwest’s most trusted staffing firms thanks to our ability to source, screen, and deliver top talent. Contact us today to learn more.