Working remotely has gone up by a lot since 2020. The pandemic caused a lot of employees and employers to change their way of working. And this also means that the benefit landscape is also changing,meaning that the HR department/ employers have to keep track of the changes. A good start would be reading this whole article since the remote workforce is growing more with each month that passes. And we will go into why that is. As well as highlight the top three benefits that HR, in particular, have to be aware of to make the transition for the employees and employers a lot better.
Employers get benefits of working remotely depending on which working from home model they go with. We will get more into that. But, first…
Employers can also save their costs such as rent, building maintenance, cleaning, furniture, cleaning the office, and providing snacks, or lunches. Furthermore, they can also save on equipment since, often, a lot of remote workers are online using their personal equipment.
Using apps such as Slack or ClickUp can help employers and employees keep in touch with each other. This can increase communication. Furthermore, remote workers tend to be slightly happier since they have more freedom. This can result in more motivation which results in better productivity as well as work outcomes. Usually.
Another one of the remote work benefits is that the pool of talent is wider since employers hire anyone from around the world. Therefore, they find people with the right skill set that the company needs, often with extra training.
Plus, the online office can be open 24/7 which means that more can be done. As well as if issues arise they can get sorted a lot quicker since people do not have to wait for the 9 am time call for work.
There is also a decrease in absenteeism. Since employees have more freedom they can schedule their appointments times better while still getting their work done. If someone feels sick they can rest up at home without the need to call in sick. And maybe even do a bit of work when they feel better later in their day.
And there are also numerical benefits according to Forbes. Such as:
But this can all depend on the work-from-home model a business decides to go with.
For employees, it is the notion of being a digital nomad where location-independent jobs are their bread and butter, or honey and jam. Location-independent means that you can work anywhere in the world be it different countries, time zones, or venues like your home, or a coffee shop aka Zoom towns where there is an increase in remote workers.
This can apply to freelance writers, tech enthusiasts, coders, etc. There is a global community of remote workers with remote work programs to aid them in their jobs. A digital revolution is taking place with the help of the Zoom boom, Slack, home office essentials with online Microsoft Word, Excel, etc.
Plus, there is a lot of money-saving going on when people work from home. The first is that there is no traveling to and from the office twice a day. The snacks and drinks are supplied by the employee for themselves. And, they can create a work and life balance in their own style and way. When they work, how they work, and what they do. Furthermore, they can also set up their home office in the way they see fit without restrictions.
One of the most important things for a company that is going to work at home is to decide which model they are going to follow. While there are benefits to working at home there is also the idea that employees can go “off track”.
Plus, different employees and employers work in different ways. The notion of managing one’s time can be a challenge for the majority of remote workers. Procrastination is a huge issue. Therefore, let’s get into what we were teasing earlier on.
The first type of workforce model is remote work- the asynchronous edition. This is when employees and employers can live anywhere. Even if their time zones are different. And there is no office space at all. Therefore, they can work at any hour of the day or night. And, communication can happen whenever.
This is a great model for those that are a global organization as well as providing answers to employees’ questions whenever they come up. Plus, employers can also take into consideration the salaries being based on the location certain employees work from. This means that they can get workers for cheaper depending on the country.
While everyone can work around the clock there has to be a way to make sure that the work is done on time. Plus, to give support as soon as remote workers wake up without anyone crossing any personal boundaries. Great model of global companies.
The synchronous model is similar to the previous one where remote workers do not have an office space, and they can work from anywhere. However, the major difference is that this model works in time zones. Therefore, it would be more beneficial for employers and employees to live in the same time zone although in different countries.
This is for companies that have to have regular meetings, and communication at certain times of the day. They are more into real-time interactions where they can get their questions, or concerns answered straight away. This can be a great model for remote workers that operate better on a fixed schedule where they work certain hours instead of whenever they want. As long as they are happy working in the company's time zone.
Another type of working from home model is a hybrid workforce. Hybrid work from home is when there is a combination of remote work and working from an office. This means that the employees work in a rotation where a group works from home on some days and others work at the office at the same time.
Some companies may allow their employees to choose when they would come into the office. Or reverse space to do so. This can be done if they need to work on certain equipment that they do not have access to at home. Or they would have to attend in-person meetings.
However, some businesses may make their employees work one day a week or 16 to 24 hours a month in the office. This can be a way to work with employees' flexibility. It all depends on how they wish to use this model.
This can be a great model for employers who want to keep a more personal tab on their employees. And for employees, it can be a great way to keep to a schedule while still having the freedom to do their own things on certain days. As mentioned, a lot of employees work better when they have a working schedule. Or maybe they just need the social aspect of office space.
When it comes to home office organization, HR or the company have to step in. There are three very important factors that they have to consider. Such as:
Lines of communication are essential for any business to run smoothly. This is more so the case when it comes to employees working remotely regardless of which model is used. Therefore, they must pick the right apps, online systems, and ways of communicating as well as to check in on the employees when a task is due.
Furthermore, while employees are working from home they would still want the work-related benefits that full-time employees from the office would get. This can include health care, pensions, sick days, etc. It is not so if the employees are contract workers or freelancers.
Another thing to consider is, which is the whole purpose of having a job, is payment. How will they be paid and when? As well as if the remote employees require purchasing certain programs or products to help them work better or at all.
These products could include lighting. If an employee is a programmer then they would be staring at the screen day and night, so they could use special lighting, or glasses, so as not to hurt their eyes.
Even home gym equipment could be needed. If someone is at home all the time, they would still need to exercise to settle their mind as well as keep in shape. Other items could include specialized equipment. While everyone, well most people, have access to a PC or laptop it does not mean that they have the right ones to do the required work.
Furthermore, what if the employees have to relocate for whatever reason? How will the company cover this? When it comes to the relocation money issues this can be sorted out by going for a Shyft Card.
Shyft Card is an App where employers send a relocation benefits allowance to their employees. This can be used to pay for the entire relocation which Shyft can arrange or for other online purchases. It can create many home office solutions. As well as connect employees to their company, the fund as well as give great discounts. It works like a digital wallet and, in the future, Shyft will come with a physical card.
Shyft wants to save you and your employees time - did you know that an average employee relocation can take between 3 and 6 weeks to arrange, and is stressful for all employees involved. Shyft has minimized that process to a single click on a simple-to-use employer dashboard for the HR team, and all the employee has to do is engage in one 30-minute video estimation conversation with a Move Assistant that is assigned to them. Shyft will then source trusted movers and do all the work related to the relocation - at no additional cost (that means no hidden fees). Shyft is also there to support both the employer and employee - our customer success manager is available 24/7.
It is a fantastic app for those that have to relocate since the employer can send the funds directly to their remote employees. And, there is access to Benji who is an AI assistant to help make relocation run as smoothly as possible. Plus, it offers instant in-app payments as well as purchases, to make sure that employees can do everything from one place to make their relocation a lot easier, and quicker.
Shyft is a platform designed to simplify the moving process for corporate customers and individual consumers. We bring a marketplace of services and solutions related to relocations and work from home stipends together with a simple in-app payments solution. This way, we are able to curate a seamless end-to-end experience. This includes taking an inventory, which is done remotely, via Shyft’s video estimation technology, and sent to the customer within 10 to 15 minutes after the call is done.
As well as finding experienced, and licensed movers, at guaranteed prices with no hidden costs. Check out the Shyft site for more information. Plus, if you do need to relocate, let Shyft do it for you.
Working from home can be a highly profitable venture for many businesses. However, in order for it to work well, work from home must be decided on. As well as how to pay, support, communicate, as well as give work-related benefits to remote workers.
And relocation is also a big thing which companies should take note of. The former points will depend on the company's way of working while the latter would strongly suggest taking a look at a Shyft Card for employees to apply for. While the app is still in Beta there is a lot it can do to make relocation easier for not only the employees but also for the peace of mind of the employers. Plus, Shyft is quick, meaning that employees can get back to their remote work as soon as possible.
