If you search hard enough online, you’ll run into stories of remote employees not doing their jobs. The sad part is that some do this even if they’re paid well and on time. As a result, some businesses still hesitate to take on work-from-home arrangements.

Yes, even in today’s new normal.

Most of the companies who prefer an office-based workforce are put off by this lack of managerial oversight. Their point is valid since there are some undependable people out there. Separating the wheat from the chaff is only one of the many challenges one has to face in running a remote team.

There’s a lot of conflicting information as to whether virtual professionals are worth hiring or not. You might be surprised to know that research shows that they are. They’re often better at getting the job done too. Read on to learn what remote workers can deliver in terms of productivity.

Better Performance

They tend to go above and beyond what’s expected of them by both their employer and clients.

The most prominent study relevant to assessing the performance of online employees was conducted by Stanford University professor Nicholas Bloom and Ctrip founder James Liang in 2012 to 2013.

Over the course of 9 months, 16,000 Ctrip call centre agents were observed as to how they fared when working from home.

The results showed that 13.5% saw an increase in performance, of which 9% were working more minutes per shift attributed to fewer breaks. Furthermore, 4% handled a higher number of calls per minute due to a quieter working environment and fewer distractions.

Additional Hours

Remote workers are often willing to work longer hours than they normally would to do more.

Looking at data on a Remote Collaborative Worker Survey by CoSo Cloud unveils that 23% of employees are amenable to extending their work hours. Additionally, 52% are less likely to take time off even when they are not feeling well.

Thanks to the flexibility offered by working from home, people are likely to spread their work throughout the day and log 4 more hours a week compared to their on site colleagues.

A recent survey by Airtasker found that remote staff worked 1.4 days more each month compared to their office-based counterparts as well.

Greater Collaboration

Remote workers make the extra effort to communicate and connect with their team to achieve common goals.

Leaders worry that subordinates won’t cooperate when they’re not speaking with each other in person. Yet, statistics show that team communication isn’t greatly affected by people not being in the office. In fact, over 50% of remote professionals in the U.S. say they want to keep networking even if it’s online.

A Harvard Business Review article also cites that close proximity doesn’t guarantee quality conversations. Staff members will actually work harder to reconnect with the rest of the team if they’ve been away for some time. They tend to provide regular updates more than others too.

Higher Satisfaction

They’re happier with their roles and are less likely to transfer to another organisation in the near future.

Being able to work anywhere gives workers more freedom of choice, less time commuting, and lower stress levels. This helps them achieve better work-life balance and make them happier in their role. Plus, there’s a lower risk of abrupt resignations.

The Stanford University Work From Home experiment shared similar findings of lower employee turnover thanks to higher satisfaction levels. Other studies also disclose that those who’ve been working remotely for 3 to 5 years are happier with their jobs.

Increased Productivity

Remote workers get more done in less time, allowing them to start new projects and improve your bottom line.

According to FlexJobs’ 2018 annual survey, 65% of their 3,100 respondents are more productive at home than in a traditional office. Another study estimates that only 60% or less of the hours spent working in an office is actually productive.

Plus, the same CoSo Cloud study mentioned earlier revealed that 77% were more productive while working off-site, with 30% accomplishing more in less time, and 24% doing more in the same amount of time.

Bonus: Reduced Costs

They enable you to cut costs related to conducting operations in a physical workplace.

Getting to save money isn’t directly related to how productive your staff is, but it’s a benefit that’s worth mentioning. You no longer have to pay for furnishings like tables, chairs, or cabinets. Neither do you have to think about the salary of the janitorial personnel who’ll keep the workplace clean.

Telecommuting statistics compiled by Global Workplace Analytics reveal that businesses can save up to 11,000 USD per person per year if they allow their employees to work away from the office half of the time. Commercial space costs a lot, after all, especially if you’re looking at real estate in busy city centres.

Hiring Remote Workers Made Easier

Should you hire remote workers? We at Remote Workmate will tell you that you should. Not only can they produce better results, but also they can save you thousands in business-related expenses.

If you’re planning to start a company soon or already operate one, consider building a virtual workforce as it’s more future-proof compared to an office-based one. It might be challenging at first but we offer services that’ll make it easier than you first thought.

Allow us to search for the best candidates for your remote team. We guarantee to endorse only applicants who’ve passed the initial screening according to requirements you’ve set yourself.