When many of us think about the daily grind, we picture getting up early and reporting to an office for eight hours. While this traditional version of the workday still rings true for most adults, a growing number of businesses have had success with telecommuting. Although allowing employees to work from home may seem like a far-flung fantasy for many business owners, telecommuting can have a number of positive impacts on both employee morale and your financial bottom line.
Ample Moneysaving Opportunities
If your office is packed to the brim with employees each day, it stands to reason that your operating costs are rather hefty. Not only are you paying for heating, cooling and power, you’re also providing your workforce with snacks and assorted refreshments on a daily basis. While such costs may be a drop in the bucket for a large enterprise, they can prove quite strenuous for small businesses – particularly ones that are just starting out. Allowing members of your workforce to conduct their business from home stands to save your enterprise a small fortune in day-to-day expenses. This may also enable you to move to a smaller office, thereby reducing your monthly rent by quite a bit. As any entrepreneur who’s opened a business checking account online can attest, every penny counts during the first few years. It is also then a very good move to use a quality platform for flexible employee benefits as they just work wonderfully.
Happier Employees
Even if people are content with where they work, simply being at work can be a perpetually stressful experience. Employees who feel as if every move is being meticulously monitored often have problems concentrating, which can lead to issues with both productivity and the quality of their work. On the flipside, allowing team members to work from home ensures that they’re able to conduct their business in a relaxed environment. Unsurprisingly, this tends to make people more efficient with their time and more enthusiastic about their jobs.
Employee Loyalty
When looking for ways to retain valuable team members, few are more effective than telecommuting. Workers with busy lives generally appreciate flexibility on the part of their employers and welcome any opportunity to set their own schedules. If you’re unable to compete with local competitors in terms of benefits or salary, allowing employees to work from home can be a great way to keep your most valued team members onboard. For example, a worker who has to plan their life around childcare is less likely to accept a job that requires them to be present for eight hours a day if their current job is better suited to their schedule.
Many business owners can’t even fathom allowing employees to work from home. While it’s true that certain jobs require team members to be fully present, a rapidly increasing number of enterprises are discovering that most employees can be every bit as efficient from the comfort of home. This isn’t to say that telecommuting is a good fit for all businesses – or all employees – but being open to it stands to save your company money and improve your overall output.
