3 companies that attract top talent by encouraging remote work
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We’ve all heard the phrase “work-life balance.” We understand the concept that when employees are less stressed, they are happier and more productive. Having job flexibility is becoming increasingly important to today’s generation of workers.
With all the advancements in technology and connectivity, the typical 9-to-5 office environment has evolved. Remote work — being able to perform a job from basically anywhere — is now one of the perks that a younger demographic is demanding. They’re even willing to take a lower salary in order to have the flexibility and convenience of working from wherever they choose.
Here are 3 remote-friendly companies that have mastered the remote-work arrangement, and why you should consider it if you want to recruit the best talent.
Basecamp
Basecamp wrote the book on remote work…literally. Founders Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson wrote a book called “Remote: Office Not Required” that explains why remote work is so popular and so smart.
In the book, the authors point out the fact that traditional office environments are not the most conducive for being productive, as they are laden with distractions. In order to produce the best results, an employee needs periods of focused attention without interruptions. This leads to a higher quality of work with fewer errors.
Basecamp allows its employees to work from anywhere in the world. A few prefer working in the Chicago headquarters, but they always have the option of working from home if they so choose.
During summer months, the company implements four-day work weeks, giving employees a three-day weekend. The founders believe this encourages employees to prioritize and work smarter, and that having extra time to relax helps them return to work refreshed and more creative.
Appirio
Appirio, a technology consulting company based in Indianapolis, implemented a concept known as the “Virtuous Cycle.” It states that when employees feel empowered and happy, a better work environment is created. This leads to a better product and happier customers. Approximately 65% of Appirio employees work remotely.
The company developed its “Worker Experience” model as a way to adapt to a changing workforce. There is no standard 9-to-5 business day for Appirio employees. The company gives workers the freedom to schedule their days according to their needs. For instance, employees don’t have to take paid-time-off for something like a doctor’s appointment. Instead, they just make up the hours or finish the work afterwards.
Last year, Appirio joined the “1 Million for Work Flexibility” movement, which is a global initiative to promote flexible work arrangements. The company supports its remote workers by offering reimbursements for home office expenses and even provides stipends that encourage remote employees to host meetups or happy hours with team members in their own cities.
Automattic
Automattic is a $1 billion company founded by the people behind WordPress and WooCommerce. The company prides itself on hiring people based on talent instead of location. Automattic currently has over 715 “Automatticians” working global remote jobs in 61 countries.
Matt Mullenweg, the creator of WordPress and CEO of Automattic, believes that allowing and encouraging remote-work arrangements has contributed to much of his company’s success. In an interview, he stated “This has been amazing for the company in that we can attract and retain the best talent without them having to be in New York or San Francisco or one of the traditional tech centers.”
Automattic likes to point out the fact that they have way fewer employees than other tech giants like Facebook and Google, but because they are a totally distributed company, their workers are able to work more efficiently. This is one of the keys to the company being able to remain competitive.
The typical office environment is changing. The workforce itself is also changing. If you want access to the best talent, you’re going to need to embrace flexible work arrangements.
Providing remote career opportunities or remote coding jobs not only helps you stay competitive in today’s market, it also has a positive effect on your bottom line, as it’s just more cost effective.
Don’t be afraid to expand your horizons and become a remote-friendly employer. If you don’t, you might risk losing your best employees.
At iTechArt, we provide remote teams for all types of businesses. If you’ve got remote web developer jobs to fill, we can help!
