We live and work in an exciting time period filled with new technology, flexible scheduling and different definitions of what the workday entails. Though the 9 to 5 still exists for a large percentage of workers, it isn’t the case for everyone. Think about the last time you left a position. Was it for better pay or benefits? Was it for a better workplace culture? Or was it because the location simply didn’t work with your life anymore?
Personally, my most common reason for switching jobs is due to relocation. My first major job was located in New Hampshire and I wanted to move to Massachusetts, then my second job needed me to move to Wisconsin/Illinois, so I moved on from that position too. In both cases, though I wasn’t in my desired industry yet, I probably wouldn’t have left if I had known that remote work (even in a partial capacity) was an option. In today’s day and age, recruiters who are focused on employee retention should really consider making work from home options available as an alternative to losing valuable staff.
According to Forbes, “about 40% of U.S. employees are working remotely either full time or part time.” And Forbes also notes that 80-90% would like to work out of their home at least partially. With almost 100% of workers believing that work from home is a desirable option, recruiters should consider offering the option as an alternative to losing top talent. Here are some major positives about including remote employees in your recruitment strategy:
- According to Global Workplace Analytics 2016 data, companies could save about $11,000 per year per telecommuting/remote employee.
- The employees themselves could save anywhere between $2000-$7000 per year. According to Forbes this number is based on travel, clothes and an in-home office tax benefit.
- Employees will see you as a more flexible and caring employer.
- Job satisfaction will increase.
- Even if your employees are ill or cannot get to work due to inclement weather, they will have less trouble working than those who must commute.
The fact is, remote workers are not uncommon anymore and it isn’t for new-to-the-market workers only. According to GlobalWorkplaceAnalytics, “on average, a telecommuter is college-educated, 49 years old, and earns an annual salary of $58,000 while working for a company with more than 100 employees. 75% of employees who work from home earn over $65,000 per year, putting them in the upper 80th percentile of all employees, home or office-based.” In addition, that same source noted that since 2005, the work-from-home numbers have increased by 103%! To me, it seems like offering remote work options to established, responsible employees is a win-win for all parties.
Of course, the reality is that not all positions can be performed at home. For instance, administrators often times must be the first face a customer sees and healthcare providers must be there for patients. With that being said, if there is some flexibility for allowing your healthcare providers to perform tele-health functions for some of their work week or if calls can be re-routed to an administrators cell phone, then maybe consider those types of options and the associated costs.
If your company decides that allowing valuable employees to work from home is an option, make sure to consider the following:
- Will the employee work from home full-time or part-time?
- How will this strategy effect the rest of my workforce?
- How will at-home work be accessed?
- What goals must be met in order for the employee to keep their at-home work status?
- What specifically about this position makes it a good fit for an at-home candidate?
If all three questions are fully answered and you are confident, moving forward with an at-home option may be a great strategy to up your employee retention rates.
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