Dispersed teams are the trending topic of these days. A few decades ago, working from home wasn’t a possibility for most employees. Not only because there wasn’t enough technology, but also because there was this strong ideal that employees were more productive at an office. During these last years, fully remote companies have proven that remote management is possible and successful. If you are managing a virtual team or company, still a bit skeptical of how things will turn out, you’re in the right place. We gathered 6 stats to change the way you engage your dispersed team.
Stat #1. Remote Employees are More Productive
When employees work from their homes or the place they enjoy most, they are more productive. In the first place, they set their own work schedule and work at their own pace – without having anyone breathing over their shoulders.
In 2019 Airtasker surveyed 1,004 full-time employees about their daily work lives. Half of the respondents worked from home most of the week; the other half worked in the office. Airtasker found out that:
- Remote employees worked 1.4 days more each month than in-office employees (this equals to work three additional weeks per year).
- There was no difference found in terms of the quality of work between remote and in-office employees.
- Office employees reported avoiding work for an average of 37 minutes a day (excluding lunch), while remote employees only took 27 minutes.
Stat #2. Remote Work is Significantly Increasing
2020 is the year of remote work. Due to Coronavirus, many companies were forced to adopt remote work. Twitter was one of the first companies to join the remote work revolution when they realized their employees performed successfully in a digital environment. Now, each month there are more announcements of companies going remote or allowing flexible arrangements to their employees.
However, even before the pandemic, remote work was rising. According to the Global Workplace Analytics, in the U.S., over 4.7 million employees were working from their homes at least half the week. And that number will continue to increase during the next years. More than 80% of company leaders surveyed by research and advisory firm Gartner say their companies will allow employees to work at least part of the time remotely once businesses start reopening after the pandemic.
Stat #3. Increase Your Profits
Owning a company requires spending a lot of money. Besides salaries, you need to pay for an office building (or space), supplies, food, etc. And even spending a lot of money doesn’t bring you the results you want. Personalities such as Steve Jobs were defenders of how creative offices encouraged employees to think outside the box. This might be true in some cases. But, you still can encourage creativity and innovation remotely, and… save money!
Companies can save up to $11,000 per employee only on real state expenses each year when hiring remote employees.
Stat #4. You can Build a Strong Culture
You have a dispersed team, and you hear all these amazing benefits, but how to know your team is actually productive? How do you engage a dispersed team? Some managers choose to micromanage each member and pressure them to do work. Others tend to give too much flexibility that employees sometimes feel forgotten.
The best way to motivate dispersed team members in a virtual setting is by building a strong culture. It’s not only by setting your company’s values and missions but also by implementing a culture where employees feel valued, connected, and with enough flexibility to have a great work/life balance.
When employees feel they have the flexibility to work hard and enjoy the things that matter the most to them, they will feel appreciated in your company. And the fact that remote work provides companies this flexibility is what makes it so valuable. It’s not only about saving money and increasing productivity but providing well being to every employee. 82% of U.S. businesses are allowing their employees to work remotely as a way to improve work-life balance.
Stat #5. Attract Better Talent
Have you ever opened a job position and received tons of applications and CVs, but none seem to suit the position? After a few weeks, you even decide to give it a try with your best option and hope for the best. This happens mainly to companies that choose to hire on-site employees only. When your company has a remote policy, you’ll expand your talent pool, making it easier to recruit the candidate with the qualities you were looking for. Not only because you have the entire world to look for candidates but also because people are looking for possibilities to achieve a better work-life balance.
According to a report by Zapier, published in 2019, 74% of the workforce would quit their current job if they were offered a remote position.
Stat #6. Remote Means More Engaged Employees
Employees that work remotely often have lower levels of stress and burnout than onsite employees. Part of this is because they work in an environment that works best for them. Also, because they can balance better their personal lives with work lives. Imagine not having to drink horrible coffee at the office, avoiding 2 hours of commute, and spending more time with your family and pets! It seems like an offer you can’t refuse, right?
According to a study, the turnover of companies that support virtual work environments is 25% lower than companies that only accept on-site employees.
Need Talented Remote Employees?
Managing a dispersed workforce is all about using effective strategies, implementing the right culture, and believing in what you do. This is why it’s crucial to hire the right employees from the start, employees that also believe in your goals, and help you reach them.
At DistantJob, we want every company to experience the benefits of hiring remote employees. That’s why, as a tech remote recruitment agency, with more than 10 years of experience, we keep proving companies the best developers in the world. And not any kind of developers, but those who, besides having excellent abilities, also understand your culture and processes. Contact us!
