Are Remote Workers More Productive? Finally, We Have The Answer!

In simple words, productivity is a measure of how efficiently you can complete a project or task. Your capability to produce the required amount of work successfully and on-time is highly in-demand in the remote work model. An employee who completes a particular task after the required timeframe has lapsed cannot be called productive. You must stay motivated and focused on implementing the given task as per schedule.

The pandemic forced many employees worldwide to transition from an office-based work routine to a remote-style of employment. Company expectations, however, remained the same: a high-quality result. The situation created a huge amount of pressure on employees, and stress levels went sky-high. Workers in almost all companies had concerns regarding layoffs, safety, and other remote-work-related policies and procedures. A fallout of this stressful situation was a significant decrease in productivity across the board.

What is productivity, and why is it important?

When an employee’s performance is reviewed, various factors need to be taken into consideration, such as role and level in the organization. Suppose a developer is tasked to write a certain amount of programming code, but the project may require this within a certain timeframe; both, writing the code and timely delivery are parameters for success. When you examine each employee’s performance, think again about each one’s position and role in your company. If a developer can write a particular amount of programming code, you may look at whether or not they can deliver the product within the given timeframe.

A similar situation may exist in the case of a support agent; you might have concerns regarding customer feedback or help tickets. Check whether the feedback is positive or the help ticket issues are resolved. The benchmarks of productivity you decide for your remote team totally depend on what your company or client requires. It is all about customer satisfaction and accomplishing goals within deadlines.

But keep in mind that the productivity of a remote team needs to be accurately measured; it may become problematic down the line due to a lack of face-to-face interaction.

A productivity tracking tool will allow you to spot warning signs and resolve them before the problem gets out of hand. You can also monitor which projects are being successfully completed and identify potential problems. The productivity tool can also identify which employees have room to take on more projects or tasks.

Moreover, make sure everyone in your remote team knows how you’re measuring and judging their productivity. Below are some productivity metrics which should be considered:

• On-time task completion rate
• Number of completed tasks
• Quality of completed work
• Customer feedback
• Employee activity level during working hours
• Employee availability during working hours

Why are remote employees more productive?

Remote staff members, according to studies, get more done. They perform better, complete tasks quicker, and take fewer sick days.

Employees also enjoy working from home. Remote teams are happy, and people who work from home on a daily basis are more satisfied with their jobs. As a consequence, there is a higher degree of commitment and efficiency.

Here are some reasons why:

1. Increased Productivity

Working from home reduces office disturbances such as background noise and coworker interruptions. A study of 16,000 call center employees showed that the home environment made them more productive as compared to in-office employees.

2. More hours logged

According to a Gallup survey, remote workers put in four extra hours per week. This was also shown in a study of AT&T employees who worked five hours more per week from home. Employees are more likely to distribute their work during the day in various ways, and working from a distance enables them to be more flexible. They are more likely to work outside of business hours and on weekends.

3. Remote teams have a higher level of engagement

Workplace disengagement is a global problem. Employees’ attitudes are contagious when they are dissatisfied or even pessimistic about their employment. Productivity stagnates, and the workplace can become volatile.

Flexible work structures, on the other hand, will assist in the reduction of disengagement; the fact that proximity does not always contribute to quality conversations is one of the factors cited by Harvard Business Review.

4. Improved work-life balance = Happy Employee

Employees enjoy avoiding the commute, dressing comfortably, and having full control over their working environment. It’s more convenient to spend time with family, and having lunch at home saves money and improves health.

5. Less Sick Leave

Employees who work from home take fewer breaks. They still remain in better shape and take fewer sick days.

When remote workers become ill, they are more likely to keep working because they are not concerned about transmitting germs to their colleagues. Working from home helps people to prioritize their health and well-being. They can go to bed a little later and change their work schedule to fit in some healthier activities.

6. Can remote work save company costs?

Yes. An estimate shows that companies would save more than $700 billion a year if half of the employees in the US worked remotely. Office rent is where the most money is saved. You can rent a smaller office space even though only a few workers work from home. This leads to lower rent, electricity, materials, and cleaning costs.

So, are you ready to hire remote workers?

The aforementioned facts may have convinced you by now that remote workers are probably a good idea for your business. You may be thinking of going out and pulling in a few remote workers right now. However, the hiring process of productive remote workers is not a walk in the park. Remote worker hiring costs may also become an issue.

To save time and money, it may make more sense to utilize the services of a professional agency. In fact, to hire an elite remote team on demand, it is recommended to use a specialized agency like Aspired . Such an agency can help you to hire productive remote workers from a pool of top talent without having to worry about cross-border issues. Hence, do your research, and proceed with your remote team hiring plans.