Is it Time for Your Business to Seriously Consider the Advantages of Offering Remote Work?
The workplace is changing and as a business you need to be aware of the current trends and make smart decisions about what your future workplace will look like. For many years, analysts have been preparing Canadian employers for the shifts in the population and there has been a lot of discussion about the different generations of workers: boomers, gen x, millennials, gen z… According to Statics Canada the overall Canadian workforce is shrinking which will make finding and retaining good employees more challenging in the future. The largest generational group in the Canadian workforce now are the Millennials, surpassing the baby boomers. The Millennials are influencing many changes in the Canadian workplace landscape.
Remote work is one of those big changes that your company may be considering in 2016.
Many jobs can be successfully performed remotely, at least a portion of the work week. Here are some key reasons to consider offering remote work at your workplace:
- Attract and Retain Talent: To attract and retain the talent you are looking for you may want to consider offering remote work – 70% of Canadian Millennials would like to work remotely.
- Widen the Talent Pool: Opportunity to hire the best employees, regardless of their geographic location.
- Increase Productivity: Studies show that employees who work from home are more productive. More time to focus on individual assignments and less distractions may contribute to the increase in productivity.
- Reduction in Absenteeism: Employees who work from home take fewer sick days. They also tend not to take time off for other personal reasons and choose to work around their personal schedule and appointments.
- Happier Employees = Cost Savings: Employees who work from home tend to be happier. The ability to balance work and family life is one contributor to this factor. Happier employees are also more productive and take less time off work.
- Healthier Employees = Cost Savings: Employees who work from home have the opportunity to maintain a healthier lifestyle and often do this by eating healthier at home and taking time out during the day for exercise. Healthier employees will save employers money in the long term by being more productive, taking less time off work and keeping benefit plan costs down.
- Employee Loyalty and Retention: Employees who have the opportunity to work remotely will generally be very appreciative and value their work life balance, creating more employee loyalty in a time when most people do not stay more than 2 to 3 years at a job.
- Potential Cost Savings : Cost saving opportunities may come from smaller office spaces, including reduction in rent, office equipment, supplies and utility costs. Other cost savings may come from reduced turnover of staff and increased productivity.
