Making the Switch to Remote First?

Employers spend so much of their time and energy planning. Planning for budgets, board meetings, company outings, and more. What wasn’t planned for was how to deal with a worldwide pandemic and the almost overnight transition to remote work. Employers around the world made the switch (whether voluntarily or by a state mandate) to have their employees work from home. It’s been almost 8 months since the start of the pandemic and some employers have their employees back in the office. There are other employers who got creative with hybrid solutions, while many are still remote with the return to office date pushed out into 2021. However, the most progressive employers have made the switch to become remote first. 

What Is Remote First?

Remote first is a progressive organizational strategy that makes working remotely the primary option for employees. Although employees in a remote first company primarily work from home, there is still usually a centralized office.

What Does It Take to Be a Remote First Company?

While most employers had to transition their employees to remote work virtually overnight, becoming a remote first company takes a bit more thought and consideration. 

1. Technology: Do you have the means to provide the proper technology to your employees at their remote work location? Additionally is your team equipped with an adequately staffed IT team to assist with setup / troubleshooting, etc? 

2. Communication: Do you have systematic communication going out to your employees to maintain transparency, trust, and engagement? 

3. Support: Do you have virtual bonding events for employees or opportunities for them to create a support network with each other?

4. Compliance: Remote first employers have the ability to expand their recruiting efforts and find quality candidates across the entire country (or world). It is important to maintain local, state and federal tax compliance when hiring employees outside of the employer’s established jurisdiction. 

Things To Consider

For many, making the switch to become a remote first employer is uncharted territory. It's different, but it's also exciting! If you are interested in becoming a remote first employer, I would highly recommend retaining a consultant (queue Edge On Consulting) to help you navigate the transition. Employees working at a remote first company should feel no different than they would working in an office setting. As their employer, you want to ensure your employees are set up for success. 

Does It Make Sense?

If 2020 taught employers anything, it was how to be resilient. Becoming a remote first employer will provide you with the opportunity to attract talent outside of the confines of commuting distance to your office; theoretically giving you the chance to have the most qualified group of employees. It’s been proven (for most employers) that employees can successfully work from home. Some have even shown an increase in their productivity levels. Not every employee enjoys working from home, which is why remote first employers usually still have an office for employees who prefer working in an office setting. In a nutshell, becoming a remote first employer makes all the sense in the world; so long as you are properly equipped to do so.