In today's hyper-competitive and fast-paced economy, companies are scrambling to compete. And that means letting go of things like a salary and guaranteed hours — and hiring people based on their talent and experience instead. There are numerous benefits to allowing employees to work remotely. First, the flexibility it gives employees to live where they want and work when they want is fantastic. It means they're not tied to a regular 9-to-5 schedule and can take lunch whenever they need it. Additionally, remote work allows employees to be more productive and creative.
At the same time, the transition to remote work frees up resources for managing the physical workplace. The HR team no longer needs a physical office or even its own office space. One of the most significant benefits for employees is the improved work-life balance they enjoy at a remote workplace.
A global office.
One thing that is a threat to most people attempting to work remotely is the same thing that makes it incredibly appealing at the same time — its global nature. Working in an international environment means you have the opportunity to work with people from different cultures, time zones, and countries. The diversity you will find in remote jobs is equal to none.
When working with people from different cultural backgrounds and time zones, it's essential to be mindful of proper etiquette and cross-cultural differences. Not knowing what is culturally acceptable to others can lead to miscommunications and mistakes. We must make an effort to understand how they think and work differently and be more sensitive to their needs. In particular, when working remotely with people from different time zones, some issues can be hard to foresee or interpret. So working respectfully with colleagues in other parts of the world is an essential part of interacting effectively as a distributed team.
As the workplace becomes global, organizations need to use explicit cultural training programs and tools. By participating in ongoing programs and screening potential candidates for individual cultural values alignment, organizations can overcome cultural misalignment issues and improve performance.
Less financial stress.
It might not seem like it upfront, but working from home can have massive financial benefits. First and foremost, you have taken the monotonous commute out of the equation. In the short-term, you no longer have to pay for costly fuel to get you to and from work. As for the long-term benefits, you have saved yourself an incredible amount of wear-and-tear, as well as maintenance and repair costs.
Furthermore, many remote-work positions require employees to have certain equipment in order to perform their respective jobs. Sometimes, employers provide this equipment for free—sometimes, not! Not to worry though, most equipment necessary to do your job can qualify as tax-deductible. To find out, you can file a free personal income tax return, listing out all qualifying, tax-deductible expenses. Most tax-filing platforms have live support staff that can give you a more definitive answer.
A new mindset.
The number of digital nomads and remote workers has grown by 3.6 million in the past five years, according to the latest data from Statista. And it's not just the amount of people working remotely that's skyrocketing. It's the number of companies that are embracing remote work. The number of businesses offering at least one remote working option has increased by 20% in just one year, according to a study by FlexJobs. It's not that these companies are just looking to give their employees more freedom. They're looking to stay competitive.
As remote work continues to gain popularity, here at Truly Remote, we hope we can help you make your job hunt easier.