Remote Workers: What are the benefits, Requirements, and Who’s hiring?

In today’s environment, many top companies are using remote workers and a virtual office to accomplish their sales and customer service goals.

There are several benefits to both the employer and employee:

Benefits to the Employer:

Productivity - The staff will be more productive than in-office workers because without chatty coworkers to distract, there is more time to focus on the tasks at hand and be more productive.

No Commute – Given the choice of fighting traffic every day or a busy city sidewalk, remote workers may start their workday somewhat earlier and invest more time to the job.

Savings on office Equipment – Not having to provide a desk and the support equipment that goes along with that such as desk, phone system, and office supplies will create an immediate savings to the bottom line.The person working from home will use less energy to run their home office and less office supplies.

Better Health to Remote Worker Employees – With more time provided in their workday, remote workers may have more time for physical exercise than those stuck in an office or spending time commuting to and from their place of business every day.And, if they are happier, chances are they will be healthier!

Remote Workers are More Loyal – Because they have more control over their schedule in balancing personal and professional time, they may feel more gratitude towards the company which yields greater productivity and less turnover.

The Virtual Office – With so many tools available to the employer, the virtual office makes it possible to bring people together and collaborate in ways that were never available before.People need to feel connected, so it’s important to provide that capability such as through video conferencing and conference calls.See “How Video Tools Can Keep Employees Connected.”

The Remote Worker:

How Remote Workers Can Increase Their Productivity

Suitability - Not everyone is suited to working from a home environment, and there is some discipline required to achieve the desired results from your job.Are you disciplined?

Take it Seriously - It’s important to take this job seriously, so that means setting up a quiet space somewhere at home that is your home office.When you go to that place, you are mentally ready to work.The ideal home office is a space or room that is free of distractions where you can go each day to complete your tasks.

It’s Best to Get Dressed – Working around the pool or in your jammies might be enticing, but you will actually be more productive if you get dressed.

Plan Each Day – It’s so much easier if you write a plan for the day ahead and do your best to stick to it.Get this done either before you quit each day or early each morning.You will find that less time is wasted and the day will go more smoothly. If you can accomplish even some of the tasks set, you will feel productive.

Take a Break – It’s not necessary to sit in front of your computer all day long. Take a break, move around or take short walk and clear your head. You’ll feel refreshed and ready to complete the tasks at hand.

Getting Family Support – If you have a family, it’s really important that they agree to respect your working time and space. It’s important to work together on this in order for you to do your best and stay focused.

Your Tools – Many companies have specific parameters for the type of phone and/or headset you will need in order to do your job. Some will reimburse you for your expenses and others may only offer a partial subsidy. Be sure you understand the employer’s requirements.

Lexair works with several companies that use remote workers and can offer some suggestions on your headset and phone requirements in a variety of price ranges:

Plantronics Practica T110 Single-Line Phone System with Professional Headset

Plantronics CT14 Single-Line Phone System with Convertible Headset

Contact Us for Enterprise pricing other kit options.

What Companies Use Remote Workers? Click LIST to see a list of 100 major companies from Forbes using remote workers.