More Companies Are Offering Remote Work. Here’s Why:

Judging by the developments, remote work is here to stay. This means new opportunities for many people, but also for companies looking to optimize their operations.

For starters, many businesses are experimenting with the so-called hybrid work models that combine office and remote work to a degree and are comparing results.

At a glance, there are six main hybrid work models, as defined by McKinsey & Company:

• Almost entirely off-premises – predominantly remote work with no office space
• Partially remote work, large HQ –  managers and employees spend most, but not all, of their time at the office
• Partially remote work, multiple hubs – multiple offices with the employees dispersed among them
• Multiple microhubs – management and employees are dispersed across small microhubs located in different geographies
• Partially remote work, with flexible HQ – no permanent offices; rented space is used for periodic collaboration
• Almost entirely on-premises – limited remote work, large office space for the majority of managers and employees

The models reliant on HQ are expensive in terms of rentals, but they generate guarantee good productivity rates. Multiple microhubs and partially remote work guarantee even better productivity rates and lower rentals than the HQ model. Work almost entirely off-premises and the flex space model is most likely to attract talent.  

Everything considered, there is a good combination for every business. If you are, perchance, wondering why you should consider remote work at all, face reality: people are massively turning digital nomads in an attempt to take back their lives.

People who choose a fully remote working space are usually more tech savvy and can do everything on a computer anyway. From graphic designers to social media managers, programmers and even traditionally “in-person” jobs like psychologists or business consultants, more and more creative ways to work from home are surfacing.

In addition, the global marketplace is huge, mildly put, meaning that employers can find excellent experts anywhere in the world and we all know how inequality is helping businesses make huge profits. To be fair, it is also beneficial for employees from undeveloped countries as they cannot hope to earn decent salaries at home.

These are the chief benefits of remote work, but there are many, many more. Let’s take a look at the most important ones, briefly.

1. Resource Reinforcement 

As shown above, renting office space is an expensive affair. For businesses that don’t really require all of their workforces to be physically present, there is no reason why they should waste money on office space.

To top it off, there are no additional costs for maintaining solid communication. The majority of online tools and apps are free to use and easy to learn, so even the employees unused to the new trends can be brought up to speed in no time.

The money saved in this way can be used in better ways, including for employee incentives that will keep them happy and productive.

Overall, remote work is a good way to reinforce resources and allocate them where they are needed the most.

2. Get Access to the Finest of Experts Regardless of Their Location

In addition to the abovementioned inequality model, there is another opportunity to consider. The rising numbers of digital nomads have pushed the demand higher, meaning that more and more people are looking for long-term clients to ensure a risk-free relaxed lifestyle.

For businesses, this means that the accumulation of experts and talents is only going to increase. Some predictions forecast that the rapid shift towards remote work will cause a redistribution of workers from the current hubs to elsewhere. Some companies are even including internal marketplaces into their business structures, which connect employees with in-house gig opportunities. 

With the rise of remote banking and freelance payment services, locations truly don’t matter anymore.

3. Lifestyle Changes Finally for the Better

Not only employees can work remotely. The same applies to business owners and managers. Why not enjoy the benefits of the trend and save lots of money in the process?

In fact, a survey of more than 500 tech founders shows that:

• 76% of founders think that remote work has either increased or maintained overall productivity
• 70% of founders say that they will allow either some or all of their employees to continue working remotely
• 66% of founders say they are reconsidering their investments in the office space
• 65% of founders say that if the lockdown was lifted tomorrow, they would not return to the office business model

Judging by the mood, remote work and remote hiring is only going to become more and more popular. Add to that the fact that 89% of employees are hoping they’ll be allowed to work from home at least one day per week after the pandemic, according to a survey of business execs, and you’ll see why turning to office work partially or completely is a good idea.

4. Virtual Hangouts: Welcome to the Future

Lastly, it is easy to see the gap between younger and older generations simply by observing their communication habits. With the rise of IMs, chat- and meeting tools, and social networks, more and more people are communicating whenever they see fit.

Remote work has tapped into this huge trend, making use of innovative technologies to keep people well connected and also to provide accessible learning with minimum cybersecurity risks.

5. Train Your Workforce With Ease

The popularity of eLearning and mLearning, in particular, has skyrocketed. More and more people are turning to online courses for certification and even degrees, and not without a good reason. Online resources, eBooks, and tutorials have made it easier to train the workforce. There are tons of online learning resources available online including graphic and logo making resources, soft skill training courses, code or no-code applications, etc. to build and scale teams without the hassle of in-person training or meet-up. 

The ability to utilize our free time exactly as it suits us – one huge benefit remote work offers – has allowed for easier specializations.

In plain words, it’s not only the courses the employer provides that are being offered; it is pretty much anything we want to learn just waiting to be picked.

For businesses, this means that they can secure lifetime learners, which was unthinkable even a couple of years back.

 Bottom Line

Remote work has managed to unite people from all walks of life. The chance to travel the world and pick just the jobs one is satisfied with is something that can hardly be beaten. By offering their employees the opportunity to plan their lives as they see fit and providing them with good job prospects at the same time, businesses can not only secure the finest of talents, but they can also count on loyalty.

Remote work is, after all, highly adjustable.