Cutthroat competitiveness has become stable across markets and workplaces globally. Employers and investors must consistently keep abreast of the competition by turning to innovative strategies that give them an edge. Organizations are attempting to get the best out of their employees as well as stay effective is using remote workplaces. 

Remote Workplaces

Remote workplaces refer to the concept where employees do not have to be in a physical office space to execute their tasks. Employees that may find it difficult to commute to work or may not be within the same proximity as the workspace. In this regard, given the employee’s importance to an organization, they may be designated tasks and targets but may not need to be physically present. 

Many organizations make use of the practice of outsourcing and managing to third party payroll services in remote workforces as part of their staffing strategy. This strategy may be due to financial decisions undertaken by the management.

The Logistics

One might find themselves wondering how it may work. The major advantage of remote workforces is that individuals can design strategies that work for them, logistically. Shared workspaces are fast replacing traditional ones. Working in a shared office space offers a massive reduction in cost and overheads, benefitting both employer and employees. This also offers employees the chance to gain exposure to other employees from other industries and sectors. In other cases, employees may have to comfort of working from home but may have to visit the organization maybe once or twice a week.

The Hiring Process

Hiring for a remote workforce is not the same as hiring a regular employee. Organizations must consider whether the potential hires are representative of their organization and whether candidates can finish tasks on time effectively. In this regard, organizations can test candidates by giving tasks with a deadline that will help in effectively assessing candidates in real-world scenarios. That can be followed by a video call or a request to the employee to visit either the shared workspace or the organization’s headquarters for the call or face to face interview. 

Onboarding Remote Employees

The onboarding process can be tricky, owing to the availability of space and resources. Designated employees in the workplace can give new hires of the logistics of the shared workspace as well as the tasks and work expected of them. The organization can regularly involve them in video calls and team meetings to make them feel more at home and engaged. The aspect of payroll management is done by the third party payroll services who keep track of the new employees.

The Surge in Remote Workforces

Stanford University in 2015 conducted a study on the perceptions of employees on workforces in 2015 and saw that employees who worked remotely:

• Spent less time on commuting
• There was little to no cost involved 
• A greater sense of autonomy

Software such as Lattice, Loom, and others have made organizations rethink their hiring strategies. As the management of payroll can be done via third party payroll services, costs are cut. Employees can choose to work from shared workspaces or even from the comfort of their own home. 

Some Key Statistics

According to a Global Workplace Analytics survey for the year 2019 on remote workforces, the number of people working from home and remotely has risen by 140% since 2005. A survey by the State of Telecommuting, telecommuting has been increased by 115% in the last decade.

Statistics also show how more and more employees are beginning to favor the idea that working from home or shared workspaces is far easier as they have a sense of control or autonomy ad it is far more convenient to them. To end with a key point: 86% of people who have worked remotely prefer remote access as it reduces stress according to a Flexjobs survey. It seems that remote workforces are truly here to stay.