Over the last several years, more employers have started allowing employees to work remotely. The concept started as a way to give local employees the freedom to work from home one or more days a week instead of driving into the office. Today, many employers are looking for highly-skilled employees that require them to look outside the local labor pool. Hiring remote employees can be a great way to fill those high-skill needs.
Top 5 business advantages to hiring remote employees
- Lower office costs. No need to lease office space for remote employees and your employees can live in lower-cost areas if they choose.
- Increased productivity. It’s a misconception that employees who work remotely get less work done. Offices are full of distractions!
- A limitless talent pool. When you hire remotely you have access to talent in every country of the world.
- Expanded business hours. With employees working in different time zones, customer service hours can be extended.
- Happier employees. Employees who work remotely are happier because they save time and money on commuting, they have more flexibility in their work schedule and they don’t feel micro-managed. Happy employees are much more likely to stay with a company long-term which means a higher retention rate.
Tips for a successful remote company
There are several things that business owners can do to run a successful remote company:
- Set up a central way for team members and managers to communicate. Slack is a popular option.
- Use Google Docs to make it much easier for employees to share information and work on projects together.
- Plan for more administrative work. Employees in multiple states can mean dealing with several sets of labor laws.
- Schedule regular video or phone conference meetings to keep employees in the loop and feeling connected to the business. Try to find the most convenient time that accommodates employees in different time zones.
Regulatory compliance issues when hiring remote workers from other states
Before hiring remote employees from other states, employers should consider these HR factors:
- Find the Department of Labor (DOL) rules on how to pay employees in their home state. This research includes identifying the minimum wage in the state and city they live in, overtime rules, frequency of payday laws, how to calculate payroll taxes and payroll deductions and how paychecks need to be delivered. Insist that your payroll provider is following the regulations from the first paycheck.
- Make a plan for how you will track and stay compliant with regulatory changes in each employee’s state.
- Know each state’s employment rules and regulations. This list includes issues around sick pay, leaves of absences, breaks, anti-discrimination laws, employment paperwork, notices and signage requirements, COBRA, drug testing, worker’s compensation insurance and employee benefits.
Employers can research and track changes to labor laws on their own (keeping in mind that many cities and counties have their own laws), hire an employment attorney, or partner with a PEO who can help a business handle government compliance.
Looking for a way to stay in compliance with employee government regulations in multiple states? We’ve got you covered through HR outsourcing! When you partner with Makai HR you can get on with the business you are trying to grow while we take care of your employee needs from 401(k) plans to payroll, taxes, health insurance/benefits, and worker’s compensation. You also gain peace of mind that you are in compliance with all of Hawaii’s employer laws (if you’ve ever looked you know that the list is very long). When choosing a PEO to partner with, there are many things to consider including cost, services and technology solutions.
With the cost of doing business in Hawaii at record highs, we know how important it is to keep labor costs in line with revenue. Our plans are priced competitively and include value-added services like time-in/time-out systems. Our three tiers of PEO service plans are tailored to the size of your business and specific needs. We offer a 100% paperless solution which means that your employees can manage their needs through a computer, tablet or phone. We can truly improve your employees work benefits while freeing you up to run your business.
What are you waiting for? Companies who partner with a PEO benefit from 7-9% faster growth, 10-14% lower employee turnover; and they are 50% less likely to go out of business. Contact us today to get started!