Last week we looked at how working from home benefits employees. This is partly because of the financial and time savings gained by getting rid of the daily commute to work. Working from home, with the help of remote networking tools, can also benefit employers, by boosting productivity and cutting costs. Let’s take a look at the ways in which employers can take advantage of remote technology.
Office Space is Expensive
Whether it’s owned or rented, business premises cost money. It can be one of an organization’s top expenses and, as a business expands, additional floor space is often required. If you need to hire more staff, you need to have workspace available for them. Everyone needs some ‘elbow room’. Overcrowding can adversely affect the experience of the workplace, impacting staff wellbeing. That in turn can affect their productivity.
Working from home can eliminate the need to acquire extra office space or a move to larger premises as your business grows. If some of your staff work remotely, the problem can be solved. You won’t have to pay for additional space and your employees will reap the benefits of avoiding the daily commute. You will need to invest in appropriate remote technology, but it will almost certainly be substantially cheaper than extending your existing premises or relocating.
Reduce Running Costs
All offices cost money to run, and these can also be substantial. Logically, the more people who work in your premises, the higher those costs will be. Your utility bills are one significant cost, but it’s also all the little things that add up. Think of things like coffee cups and paper. You might not think they are expenses worth worrying about, but over time the costs accumulate.
Staff Morale Matters
Last week we mentioned a survey, which revealed that a quarter of office workers would prefer to work from home, even if meant taking a pay cut. People were also asked about free meals. 78% would prefer to work from home, even if that entailed losing perks like free meals. Happy staff are more productive. The opportunity to work from home could improve their morale and save business owners money.
Cut Down on Technology Costs
Equipping a business with workstations for all employees, and maintenance of devices and peripherals, can be another large expense. These days, almost everyone has a home computer and they can be asked to use it for work. Most people won’t have a problem with using their own devices, if it comes with the convenience of working from home. Quikteks offers remote IT support to employees working from home, so any technical problems or security issues can be dealt with quickly. If your staff are working from home, you need to think laterally about how to deal with computer problems that could lead to downtime and impact negatively on your business operations.
Enhanced Productivity
You might think that employees working from home could be less productive, owing to distractions arising in the home environment. In fact, a study by CompTIA Research suggests that the opposite is true. 67% of businesses saw increased productivity when staff worked from home. There are all sorts of possible reasons for this. One is that there can actually be more distractions at the office than there are in a quiet home. Offices can be full of minor daily dramas. Also, because we’re all social beings, some of the day will likely be spent chatting with other members of staff. With home working, it can be easier to get on with the tasks at hand without interruptions.
Tools for Home Working
Studies suggest that employers have as much to gain as employees from remote working. For it to be beneficial to all, you may need to consider using remote networking tools. These will allow staff to access your network, irrespective of where they are. You’ll also need to adjust your network security arrangements, so that all the extra access points are covered. To keep in touch with home-based teams, you can take advantage of the many remote networking solutions that will ensure good communication and continued productivity.
If you’d like to learn more about implementing remote technology, we can help. Give Quikteks a call today at (973) 882-4644.