Five Reasons to Hire Permanent Staff Remotely Instead of Taking Your Chances with a Contractor
By now, the benefits of remote working for both candidates and companies looking to hire have been well chronicled. After eight months of COVID-19 restrictions all over the continent, we’ve heard it all; remote working is inclusive, eco-friendly, sustainable, and more cost effective for businesses who no longer have to worry about heating large office buildings. Indeed, we have even written about these topics ourselves in recent months. But our subject today is slightly different.
Prior to the pandemic, the people who worked remotely were, by and large, freelancers. They were self-employed, their own bosses. But what we’re asking you to consider is taking on remote staff on a permanent basis, as you might otherwise do with an on-site employee. The last year has proved that it’s possible to make the transition from on-site working to working from home for existing employees. In fact, two thirds of British employers noticed an increase in productivity after making that change, and Forbes reported that industry could increase by as much as 47% when staff were able to work from home, so it’s actually more than possible, it’s been a proven success!
Furthermore, indications are that the permanent workforce prefers working remotely. But if you, as a business owner are still wondering, what’s in it for me? I will tell you now:
Five Reasons to Hire Permanent Staff Remotely
1. Increased loyalty.
By hiring staff on a permanent basis, you are demonstrating your commitment to them and their professional development. Studies have shown that this confidence is repaid by workers, who are more likely to be invested in your business if you have first invested in them.
2. Not only that, but you’ll have their full attention.
There is no doubting that there are some fantastic freelancers out there, but many contractors work on multiple projects for multiple companies at once. This can lead to errors in their work, because they could be confused or rushing to meet too many deadlines at once. While there is human error in everything, this is far less likely when you employ a permanent member of staff to fulfil a specific job role. Their focus will be greater, and the finished product will be better.
3. It allows you to build a more cohesive team.
Self-employed contractors are great for single-person projects, but when you need a team to get the job done, you are much better to hire all its members on a permanent basis. The sense of equality and the opportunity this provides for them all to get to know each other will have a positive impact on their ability to collaborate effectively and will undoubtedly boost their creative output.
4. It creates a broader and more solid knowledge base.
By forming a remote team of permanent workers, you are not only opening yourself up to ideas from different countries, cultures, and backgrounds, you are prioritising them and giving them a place inside your organisation. This will benefit you because you will be seen as an inclusive employer and that will help you to attract the best talent from all over the world.
5. It provides security, not just for your staff, but for you as the employer.
Contractors will always be on the lookout for their next project. Without a permanent placement, they have to stay ahead of every job opportunity to maximise their earnings. And if they can earn more elsewhere, they may just leave you in the lurch. Permanent employees, on the other hand, are less likely to hop from role to role because they have more incentive to stay where they are, where both the work and the salary are steady.
To Those of You Who Are Still Unconvinced:
Yes, I hear you. You are saying that, for all these advantages, there’s one big con that’s always going to put you off. That is, when you hire permanent staff, you then become responsible for their tax status, insurance payments, etc. That can get expensive. Plus, when you are hiring remotely, it can also be very complicated, because you may not be familiar with the laws and legislature in your employee’s home country.
Well, my response is, there is always a solution, but sometimes it can be better just to bite the bullet. The more you put in, the more you get out, after all.
Some people might suggest you use an umbrella company. Not me. Umbrella companies are companies that will act as a third party between you and your new employee, and they will take care of all the administrative functions like contracts and payments, and keep up with social security requirements, so that you don’t have to. But while you may benefit from this, your employee could be hit with hidden fees and be hampered by the lack of flexibility this affords them.
If you choose to hire via an umbrella company, therefore, you risk seeing a very high turnover of staff. Whereas, if you hire permanent staff directly, you will be encouraging their longevity. See, there’s a bonus benefit for you!
Our Final Verdict
Don’t be put off by the extra costs of hiring permanent remote staff in place of freelancers, because chances are, you will save that money and more in other places. Whether it’s reduced building costs, or the fact that you’re not faced with a constant cycle of finding, hiring, and training contractors, only to lose them to another job before your own work is finished, hiring permanent staff on a full-time, work from home basis, will always save you money in the long run.
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You can sign up for free at Stakha.io today.There is no doubting that there are some fantastic freelancers out there, but many contractors work on multiple projects for multiple companies at once. This can lead to errors in their work, because they could be confused or rushing to meet too many deadlines at once. While there is human error in everything, this is far less likely when you employ a permanent member of staff to fulfil a specific job role. Their focus will be greater, and the finished product will be better.