Remote work: opportunities and challenges for everyone
The employment world has changed forever in the last few years. We had been living through this transition before the Pandemic, but we could see the new system with it. The work borders have been disappearing, and employers and employees have had to adapt quickly. There are a lot of challenges, with opportunities and benefits, but also problems and difficulties.
The last global Payroll Management Institute (GPMI) webinar, How Borderless Hiring Can Help Build the Best Teams on Earth, discussed these changes. Before anything, they gave data. First, Nurul Zin, Payroll Director, and Kate Gray, Director of People and Talent, from Omnipresent, showed a graphic of how remote work grew exponentially. After that, they began the analysis.
Opportunities and benefits of remote work
Thinking about the companies and the recruitment process, the speakers mentioned some examples. “Companies often get 100x the applicants when they open roles up remotely” was one of the affirmations that validated with Spotify and Airbnb cases, where hire around the world and grow as a business.
“The best talent is everywhere,” they affirmed, and that’s why it is better to have fewer borders to hire. With more applicants, you can have better workers, and with better workers, you can have better production with capacities and added value.
Another advantage for employers is the possibility to study, research and know some countries through employees. Sometimes, it is crucial to have a worker analyze the local market or a particular item in strategy. A native person can develop in a better way for that task.
The employee also wins
We can also find advantages for workers. First, flexibility and the best use of time are indisputable. Working from home, the time you used to move on now is entirely yours. That cause, for example, more equality. The people that do not live in centric cities, women who have children’s responsibilities or people with disabilities can access the same position leaving away the mobility problem.
Another positive aspect for workers is the salaries. People in low-income countries can get hired with better pay. If you have studies, experience, basic tech skills, and knowledge of English, applying to an international company is an excellent way to improve your economic situation. Of course, having a good computer and internet is a must in this dynamic.
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Difficulties and challenges
We have to say that it’s not too easy to do these modifications. Employers and employees have to change their minds. The mentioned webinar gave other examples of difficulties: language and cultural barriers and the differences in payroll laws. Nevertheless, we can aggregate the importance of having a social touch and an excellent workplace.
If the employer does not consider these difficulties, the workers may lose motivation and go anywhere. Of course, salary and time are the main factors for employees, but empathy and respect are necessary for humans. Therefore, the new trend has an old rule: keep your employees happy.