The COVID-19 pandemic was the impetus for a global experiment in remote work, and now many executives are fielding requests from staff about the possibility of a long-term remote work arrangement. According to a recent Gallup poll, three in five U.S. workers want to continue working remotely as social distancing restrictions are lifted.
In 2006, I found the local talent pool coming up short for a certain type of employee. This led me to see if I could find the right fit by expanding my search to include people out of my geographical area. I was impressed by the quality of applicants and I quickly realized that many of the staff for my online business, Doubledot Media, don’t need to be in the local office.
I dipped my toe in the remote waters and started hiring some telecommuters here and there. Then I read the book Remote: Office Not Required, and it made me a full convert to the value of a remote work environment. Now, more than 30 of my 35 employees work remotely, and this arrangement has been an enormous success for the business: we save money every year on office costs and, more importantly, my staff report really high levels of satisfaction in large part because they telecommute.
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