Telecommuting has grown by leaps and bounds over the past few years. In fact, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly 25% of full-time workers worked remotely at least some of the time in 2010.
But, as one of Kansas City’s top IT staffing firms, Morgan Hunter knows that just because so many other companies are doing it, doesn’t always mean it’s right for your firm. So if you’re thinking of letting your IT team work remotely or hiring virtual workers, but you’re still on the fence, here’s a look at the pros and cons to help you make the right decision:
Pros:
- Valuable incentives. If some of your IT workers need a more flexible schedule, then offering the ability to work from home is a valuable incentive for them to stay with your firm. And in today’s day and age of hard-to-find IT talent, retaining them is a critically important benefit. Another better opportunity may come their way, but if it doesn’t offer the ability to work remotely, some will certainly turn it down.
- Lower costs. Both you and your IT staff can save on costs when it comes to telecommuting. For your employees, cutting out their commute will offer them huge savings in the form of gas and time. For you, you can also cut down on expenses like utilities and the square footage you’ll need to house employees – particularly if some work remotely full-time.
- Increased productivity. Some studies have shown that those who work remotely are actually more productive than those in-house. For instance, a study by Stanford University, showed that productivity levels rose by 15% for those allowed to work from home.
Cons:
- Less collaboration. When it come to effective IT teams, the best ones collaborate often and work well together. However, if they’re all working from miles apart, it makes the ability to collaborate that much more difficult.
- Reduced employee loyalty. If your IT staff doesn’t come into the office on a regular basis, then they’re not going to develop a strong sense of loyalty to the firm. Rather, they may feel more like a one-man band who is only accountable to themselves. This can be especially dangerous if an employee has access to confidential or mission critical data, leaving an employer vulnerable to a leak.
- Managing them may be more difficult. Managing a team of remote workers is a lot different than managing a team that’s in-house. So before allowing IT workers to telecommute, make sure you have a plan in place for how you are going to supervise them, how you’re going to measure their productivity and how often you will communicate with them.
If you need more help attracting or retaining IT workers – whether on-site or remotely, give Morgan Hunter a call. As one of Kansas City’s top IT staffing firms, we specialize in recruiting technology professionals, ranging from Chief Information Officers to Desktop Support. All candidates are rigorously screened by our consultants to ensure their technical compatibility, and to identify the personality traits that will allow them to blend smoothly into your organization.