With so many businesses waving goodbye to regular working hours and allowing their employees to complete tasks at home, there must be solid reasoning to back up the switch. One of the main talking points is the productivity of staff, which is constantly being monitored by companies. While this metric changes across different industries, the trend of remote workers being more productive is clear to see. 

In this article, BOST share the reasoning behind this statistic, while also sharing some considerations for the future! 

Comparing Remote Workers With In-House Staff

The first thing that we will say in this section is that remote workers are, in fact, more productive than office staff. Various studies and sources back this up, including a piece by Fortune, which found that workers with a flexible schedule are 53% more productive. Of course, this doesn’t apply to every single remote employee, which is why picking the right candidates is crucial. 

Other interesting stats that have arisen when comparing the two types of workers include: 

  • Remote employees who have a dedicated workspace at home will spend 10 fewer minutes being productive each day. 
  • Employees who do their tasks from home typically work one more day per week. 
  • Despite this extra day, remote workers are on average 20% happier than in-house employees. 
  • Distractions are more common in the office, with the familiar home setting being more likely to aid focus. 
  • Remote workers are also happy to take home less earnings, with 17% of all workers being willing to sacrifice 20% of their paychecks to work remotely. 

Why Are Remote Workers More Productive?  

Now that we’ve established that remote workers can have much higher productivity rates, let’s look at why. There are three main reasons for this: 

1. Less Likely To Take Time Off

With remote employees enjoying their work considerably more than in-house staff, they are less likely to take time off. This applies to both justified days off and times that feature a little white lie. 

Another factor behind this point is travel time being removed from an average day. This allows each employee to take some ‘me time’ in the morning, which can put them in a fit state to work. Remote employees also don’t have to get dressed in appropriate work attire, meaning they can work in a comfortable atmosphere. 

2. Satisfied Workers Are More Productive

Much like the last point, the satisfaction of working remotely can go a long way in increasing productivity. Employees are more likely to put the time and effort into completing their tasks to the highest standard to keep this favourable job opportunity. 

3. Find A Method That Works

The final point is based on the flexibility of a worker’s schedule. Being able to try different things and continue with what works can offer a huge productivity boost. After all, each worker is unique and the same daily structure is not optimal for everyone.  

Other Areas To Consider

When deciding whether to go down the remote worker route with your company, there are other factors to consider: 

  • Office Costs – If a majority or all employees are working remotely, the physical premises for your business can be downsized or removed entirely. This can result in large savings each year. 
  • Transport Fees – Although it does not apply to every business, transport fees can be removed from the equation when hiring remote staff. 
  • Contract Structure – Another thing to consider is the structure of the contract offered to successful candidates. Some companies will pay by the hour, while others opt to pay for task completion. The latter comes with some unique benefits for both workers and business owners. 
  • Management – While many employees benefit from remote work, some managers can struggle. Using collaboration tools such as Zoom, Notion, and even Google Docs can help to make everyday operations a bit more streamlined. This can, in turn, help managers to maintain their high levels of productivity. 

Conclusion: Are Remote Workers Right For Your Business?

Having a remote workforce is something that most companies in the modern era are considering. Not only can it help to improve the productivity of your staff, but it can also provide a wide range of cost-reducing opportunities. It may also be worth contacting remote workers regarding short-term projects, or for areas like cybersecurity and IT consulting. 

One of the most effective ways to find remote workers is through nearshoring. The process is almost identical to outsourcing, however, it involves finding workers that are in a nearby country. This can ensure that each working day is streamlined, with all workers being in an identical or similar time zone. 

BOST can help with the nearshoring process to find highly talented remote workers that match your values. Get in touch with us today to talk about your requirements, or to receive a 100% free, no-obligation quote!