5 Reasons We Went Remote—And Stayed That Way

It’s no secret that there are plenty of perks to remote work. Reduced turnover, happier employees, increased productivity—and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. And these reasons are exactly why my company and countless others went remote and haven’t looked back.

Thinking about trying out remote or hybrid work? Take it from a fellow business owner (ahem, me), remote work is worth it. Keep reading to find out why.

Reasons We Went (And Stayed) Remote

When your company goes remote, your employees aren’t the only ones who reap the benefits. That’s right—employers have plenty of remote perks to take advantage of, too. From increased productivity to accessing a larger talent pool, there’s a lot to love when it comes to remote work.

There are countless reasons why my team decided to go remote. And even more reasons why we chose to stay remote after the big working from home experiment of 2020. Let me break down five reasons why we went (and stayed) remote for good.

1. Health

Like many other businesses, we initially decided to go the remote route when the pandemic began in 2020. We wanted to protect our employees as best as we could. Plus, it gave us a chance to finally experiment with 100% remote work.

Sure, Covid was initially the main reason we went remote. But, our employees’ health is one of the reasons we stayed working from home. Not only does working from home improve your team’s mental health and decrease stress, it can also help reduce the spread of sickness in the workplace. And in turn, you can avoid cold and flu season wreaking havoc on your business.

2. Talent Pool

Taking your team remote can work wonders for your talent pool. Instead of being limited to a local talent pool, you can reach top talent across the country.

When my accounting software and payroll company, Patriot, went remote, we had fewer than 100 employees in a few different states. Now, we have over 200 employees in 27 states—wow! And we’re still growing each and every day.

Offering remote work can not only expand your talent pool to other areas, but it can also improve your employer brand and make your business more attractive to applicants. Not to mention, it can help make your company stand out to top talent (approximately 60% of workers said they would quit their job for a fully remote one!).

3. Employee Retention

Along with attracting top-notch employees to work at your business, remote work has another huge perk: employee retention.

Employee retention is oh-so-important for many reasons. It can help improve your workplace culture, boost productivity, and increase employee engagement. Plus, no employer likes turnover, especially when it includes an all-star or long-time employee.

One solution to retaining employees? Remote work, of course. Companies that offer remote work experience a 25% lower turnover rate. Working from home can give your team a solid work-life balance that they need to stay productive. And, it can take away additional stressors, like long and dreaded commutes.

4. Productivity

When my company went remote a few years ago, we were a little leery about it, to be honest. How were employees going to adjust? Would they be able to focus at home? What started as a little experiment turned into something better than we could have imagined. And the employees? They wound up more productive than ever.

Believe it or not, remote work is a huge productivity boost for businesses. Don’t believe me? Here are some fast facts about remote work and productivity:

If you’re on the fence about taking your company remote, don’t worry that it will hinder your team’s productivity. Working from home can give your co-workers a much-needed burst of energy to take their productivity to the next level (take it from me!).

5. Costs

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know that costs are a big part of running a business. But, what happens to said costs when your company goes remote? Well, they certainly don’t 100% disappear—but they do dramatically decrease.

When you take your company remote, you don’t have to worry about extra overhead costs. Here are some of the costs you may be able to cut by going remote:

• Rent or mortgage payments
• Electricity
• Heating and air conditioning
• Office supplies and furniture

Keep in mind that remote work won’t get rid of all costs associated with employees. You still need to provide them with the necessary equipment and tools to work from home. And maybe you’ll decide to go the extra mile and cover a portion of their other work-from-home expenses, too (e.g., Wi-Fi).