You Need To Offer a Remote Work Option in 2021
Here’s why (and how) work-from-home is becoming the new normal
Work is changing, and we must evolve with it.
A shift toward remote work was always inevitable because, for many jobs, it doesn’t really matter where the computer is that you sit in front of. Why waste time and money on commuting and office space? As we run more of our lives and businesses online, workers’ physical presence is becoming less and less relevant. For jobs that could be remote, it seems like inertia was the main thing keeping a “traditional” office setting the default option.
In that regard, the global health crisis has forced a lot of hands. Everyone had to scramble to figure out how to keep the lights on when gathering together in an office wasn’t an option. Fast forward to today, and influential businesses like Twitter and Square have made waves by announcing their employees would be allowed to work from home permanently. By 2025, it’s expected that 70% of the workforce will work remotely at least 5 days per week. The first dominoes have fallen, and it’s a safe bet there’s no going back.
Worker expectations have shifted, and that gives you an edge.
No commute, the comforts of home, the ability to throw a load of laundry in the wash while you’re on a conference call…many people got a taste of the benefits of working from home, and they like it. According to Pew Research Center 54% of workers would like to continue working remotely after Coronavirus ends. Conversely, up to a third of workers say they would quit their job if there was no possibility of working remotely.
These stats are a snapshot in a trend that’s only growing. Getting ahead of the curve in the remote work revolution gives you a competitive edge in hiring the best talent.
You can cut costs while retaining productivity.
No matter your business, if you have an office, you’re also in the real estate business. You need space, supplies, desks, utilities, security and about a thousand other things that come along with simply supplying an office to your employees. It’s a no-brainer that every employee that could be moved remote is money in the bank and a major reduction of logistical headaches that come with running an office.
The only thing stopping a lot of business owners is a concern over productivity. “How can I make sure my employees aren’t slacking if I can’t check up on them?” Of course, work-from-home comes with temptations like always having Netflix within arm’s reach. One could easily envision an employee taking advantage of their lack of supervision. But reality, it turns out, is quite different. One survey showed that, even with employees working remotely, 94% of employers said productivity was actually the same or higher than before the pandemic.
It’s important to implement work-from-home the right way.
Setting up employees to work remotely presents efficiency and security challenges. Without the benefit of face-to-face, you need to ensure your team has the proper tools in place to manage their workflow and communication effectively. How do you protect sensitive data and information once it leaves the walls of your office?
While the potential benefits of empowering your business with the ability to work remotely are myriad, so are the pitfalls. It’s definitely a “measure twice, cut once” situation. That’s why you want a full-service IT company like amshot to get you up and running. You want a team that can analyze your specific security needs and can implement and maintain your service from beginning to end.
Schedule a consultation with amshot to ensure your business is staying ahead of the curve.
