Effective remote work: a myth or an optimal solution to the personnel issue?

Who works more efficiently: remote employees or office staff? This difficult question excites the minds of bosses around the world. The company “Mirobase” does not stay away from the hot-button issues related to working productivity. After all, our mission is to help the business develop and reach new heights.

And while the work on studying statistics and actual data are in full swing, we decided to raise one of the philosophical questions: why is remote work the thing of the future, and what are the basic benefits that businesses will get by implementing this form of work?

The company needs to expand its competencies

Probably, somewhere there is a region that is lucky to be “average” in the best sense of the term. The cost of living in such a location is not too high, the prices for services are available, and the choice of specialists in the labor market is for every taste.

Unfortunately, such a place is utopian in its nature. After all, the same universities – which produce future employees, are concentrated in large cities. And in a megalopolis, life can not be cheap. If you play out the chain further, it turns out that professionalism is not only a diploma but also experience. Which can be obtained only by working in specialized organizations, and they also tend to migrate to large regional centers.

For the province, this means the following: there are practically no narrow-profile specialists because no one trains them. And if a provincial university provides a good starting base, thanks to which a potential candidate becomes a trainee, there is no guarantee that he will not wave goodbye and go to conquer the capital. At least because there are much more career prospects there.
Those who decided to stay have long felt like kings of local importance: after all, regional companies are fighting for them, offering salaries that will make the native of the capital city salivate. Business needs a pro, the choice is limited, and there are no other options.

In the capital, the situation is different. Candidates with different skill levels are a dime a dozen. But everyone wants a high salary that allows them to experience all the delights of life in the megalopolis. Of course, this is not a bad thing and we are not talking about working for food and slaps on the head. But is such work profitable for the employer company if the costs per employee exceed the theoretically possible profit?

Remote work removes all restrictions, opening up local personnel markets for enterprises located in any geographical point. A provincial business needs a specialist who can’t be found in the home region? It doesn’t matter – you can “headhunt” the cadre personnel from the neighbors.

Remote work erases boundaries, allowing you to solve current business problems as profitably and efficiently as possible by hiring staff with the right competencies and realistic requests. At the same time, employees themselves respond with great enthusiasm to such offers, since they exceed their expectations formed by the labor market of their hometown or country.

Social responsibility of the brand

As soon as the business grows to medium or large, and turns into a brand, the question of social responsibility arises. After all, if certain actions help not only earn money, but also solve a number of social problems – the company will benefit and promote a positive image.

Today, issues of equality are more relevant than ever. With the development of high-speed Internet and technology, people with disabilities have a chance for a successful career and professional development. For business, this is an opportunity to get a highly motivated employee into the team with minimal risks.

Another category of potential candidates that should not be overlooked is women who have chosen motherhood. Let’s not be deceitful: at many interviews, representatives of the fair sex, who are not married or have children, are refused. Employers are afraid that such employees will quickly get married and run away to the decree, and these are the expenditures for training, plus a new search for a candidate for a temporarily vacant position. Or they are afraid of employee absenteeism, because small children are unpredictable and require attention. One research suggested that 56% of women in the high-tech industry were forced to quit in the middle of their career development. And 51% of working mothers claimed that it was difficult for them to move up the corporate ladder because of having a child.

An adequate solution to the problem is a flexible schedule and the ability to work remotely. By planning her day so that the children are happy and the work is done, the employee will be able to realize herself as a mother, develop professionally and career wise, as well as bring profit to the company, without the harm of the task performance quality.

How the bad apple doesn’t spoil the whole barrel

All of the above makes no sense if the remote staff “relaxes” in the atmosphere of home comfort and ceases to perform tasks in a timely and high-quality manner. And such employees are about 30%. In the office, even if the chief is absent, you will not spoil much: colleagues who diligently perform tasks and achieve high KPIs are not only a silent reproach, but also competitors to the lazy person. But at home, in the atmosphere of pillows, a blanket and a cup of tea, the stopcock does not work and the employee decides that everything is possible.
The only effective solution to the problem is monitoring and controlling remote personnel. At the same time, one of the main tools is time tracking, which allows you to estimate the amount of real time worked.

After overcoming endless breaks, and coping with the factors that distract the attention of the staff, it is worth paying attention to the issue of efficiency.
The analysis of the work models of the most productive “remote workers” will allow you to form job descriptions and recommendations that significantly increase labor productivity. This means that while reducing the cost of equipment and office space, the business will be able to significantly increase its profitability by forming a professional, highly motivated team.