Should I Let My Employees Work from Home? | Inc Authority

Small Business Blog

Should I Let My Employees Work from Home?

Posted on

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

The studies are in and they’re clear: allowing your employees to work from home is good for their morale and for business. We’ll break down the reasons why in this article, but first, let’s look at the two different types of work from home options.

Fully Remote: Let’s be honest, some jobs can be done just as effectively (if not more so) at home as in the office. Fully remote is a fantastic option for internet-based companies who don’t necessarily need to own and operate a brick and mortar business. In this model employees work their 9-5 from home, 7 days a week.

Flexible Work Program: This option allows employees to work part of their time from home and the other part from the office. Companies like Best Buy introduced this program with great results and many other companies are following suit. Some companies offer this as an incentive, others have it written into their company policy. As the owner, you decide.

Now, let’s jump into what makes the work-from-home option so popular.

Higher levels of productivity

According to a 2-year study done by a Stanford University professor, employees who worked from home experienced a 13% increase in productivity. This is due to fewer distractions from co-workers, phone calls and impromptu meetings. Other studies showed as much as a 35% increase.

More hours

Employees who work from home tend to put in more hours a day. ATA&T employees logged in more than five hours more each week than their average office worker. This is because employees who work from home are more comfortable and relaxed and are therefore willing to take on more hours a day. They also take less breaks for the same reason.

Better collaboration

For a while, collaboration stood out as the top reason employees needed to work from the office. But thanks to collaboration software like Slack, Trello, Airtable, GoToMeeting, and others, virtual collaboration is easier than ever. In fact, 54% of U.S. remote workers said that they collaborate better than when they work from home.

More diverse pool of applicants

Allowing employees to work remotely broadens your talent base. Let’s say you found an expert web developer for your Austin-based tech start-up but he or she lives in Russia. Being flexible with your remote work policy will allow you to use talent no matter where they are in the world creating a wonderfully diverse pool of applicants.

Higher retention rate

In the Stanford study mentioned above, employees with flexible work from home schedules reported higher levels of job satisfaction. Why? Remote workers get more sleep because they don’t have to commute. They achieve a better work-life balance and the freedom to work from home decreases their stress. In short, they’re happier. Happy employees equal a higher retention rate.

Final Words

There are some positions that requires a physical presence in the office. But if that’s not the case for your business and you’re looking to cut cost, increase productivity, and boost employee morale at the same time…seriously consider the work-from-home option and see the results for yourself.

Incorporating is the most powerful thing you can do to legitimize your startup. And at IncAuthority.com, our setup LLC services are 100% free. Always. So, don’t wait. Form your new LLC today and enjoy the protection due to you and your business under the law.

Related Articles:

Share this article:
@yield('extra_modals')