Remote working: Why it’s a positive change

Benefits to Working from Home

We feel that allowing employees to work from home has enriched our agency in a number of ways. One of the most important benefits for us, is that it allows us to recruit the best talent. There is an increasing need for flexibility in the working environment to create a better work/life balance for people, and remote working is a big part of that. We find that our working practices brings us a pool of talent that may not be available to us if we had a more “traditional” working environment. Mental wellbeing for employees should also be on the forefront of employers’ minds – and working from home can increase motivation. Not only does allow them extra time to exercise, indulge in hobbies etc – but will get them motivated to work harder for the company.

There are also savings that can be made when it comes to outgoings. There is less space required which means businesses can save on office rent. This extra money can be invested in improving technology for the team and allowing them to work more effectively – with collaborative tools to make sure that the communication flow is as it should be. It can also be spent on additional staff perks to further motivate the team and let them know how much they are appreciated. There are also reduced costs for employees too. They wouldn’t need to worry about travel costs, the costs associated with grabbing a coffee on the way to the train – or any extra work clothes that would be needed.

Employee retention is another big thing. Major life changes that demand more flexibility in working patterns can impact someone’s working life significantly. If a company has remote working in place, it could mean that changes in their partners working pattern or issues with childcare may not be an issue and skilled employees will stay for longer. This not only means that costs can be saved on recruitment, but that there will always be a fully trained team in place at all time. This will limit any disruption to companies and any customers that are paying for a product or service.

How digital agencies can pave the way

Our hope is that one of the take-aways from this global crisis is that people see the benefits of this type of working model and implement it in their business wherever possible. As well as being able to attract top talent – it will create a much happier and healthier workforce and create a whole different culture. When this happens – businesses can expect improved productivity from their team which will only help grow businesses which will in turn mean there are more jobs available.

Digital agencies are the perfect companies to pave the way for this type of model. As everything is done online, there is no reason why agencies can’t work towards this way of working and encourage other sectors to follow suit. It could be a defining culture change that results in a much happier lifestyle for people and families.

At Elementary Digital, we ensure that we use the technology that is available to us to create a process that is effective no matter where our team is working from. We have the experience working in the remote environment that allows us to meet our client demands with no adjustment period necessary.

Other agencies who are used to working mainly on face to face meetings and being present in a working environment may have a bit of a transition period. This could delay marketing campaigns getting started, website launches and other issues that could end up affecting other businesses bottom lines. We’ve had over six years of making it work for us and our clients, so know that in this challenging time we can push ahead and provide the level of service our clients are used to.

Gyles Seward, co-owner at Elementary Digital.