Much has been said about remote working in the last few months. Does it improve productivity or diminish focus? Are employees more motivated or less inclined to work? Is it the new normal or a passing fad? Much less has been said about one of the key benefits of remote working: recruitment. With some companies battening down the hatches, hiring may not have been at the forefront of minds during lockdown, but human capital is still a vital resource for any business and will be key in the post-Covid fightback.
As I recently told the Guardian, remote working represents a unique opportunity for employers to access highly-skilled and diverse talent previously precluded from the recruitment pool; an opportunity too good to ignore.
First, let’s consider the productivity question through the talent lens. Every company wants to hire the most motivated, productive and skilled employees to help drive their business forward. Pre-coronavirus, the accepted norm was an office environment allowed for these individuals to thrive, but remote working has turned this idea on its head.
A two-year Stanford study found that people working remotely one day per week increased their productivity by 13%, while an Airtasker survey showed that fully remote workers worked 1.4 days more per month than their office counterparts. As Head of People at a remote company, I know that people work best when they are free to choose how they work. Some prefer the hubbub of the office working environment or a local café, others prefer working from home with the door closed. In short, giving employees the freedom to choose results in higher productivity.
Remote working is not just about where people can work, but which people. When FYXER switched from semi-remote (one day per week in the London office) to fully remote, we were no longer limited to hiring within the London commuter belt. Instead, we were able to access highly-skilled individuals with limited job opportunities - such as rural professionals, caregivers, military spouses and those with disabilities - anywhere in the country and made great hires in Wales and the North East in the first two months.
In a letter to the Financial Times, Darren Murph, Head of Remote at Gitlab, said that “remote work can reverse rural depopulation, make communities less transitory and spread opportunity to underserved areas.” It also levels the playing field for talented individuals who cannot move for work and enables employers to hire a more diverse workforce, which boosts productivity through more varied perspectives, better decision-making, higher engagement and increased creativity to name just a few.
Buffer’s 2020 State of Remote Work report found 98% of people would like the option of working remotely during their career, but that the biggest obstacle to remote working was companies’ previous non-flexible work culture. However, work cultures are not set in stone. From the production line model to the office model to now, how we work adapts to the times, so why not change the culture and embrace the benefits?
In the last few weeks, the government has been encouraging us to return to the office, but the talent, productivity and flexibility benefits of remote working should be championed, not disregarded. Instead of going back to the office, we should be going forward.
“It feels as if I’m getting 15-20 hours of my personal time back, giving me back my sanity. Do I feel less stressed? Yes, one million percent.”
After an initial discovery call, we will put forward a proposal and ask for you to give us the go-ahead. Once the contract is signed we can deploy your bespoke team of Fyxers within 24-72 hours.
After our discovery call we create a team from our pool of talent that is matched to your particular needs. One advantage of working with FYXER is that you gain a team with multiple skill sets, experiences and capacities, working across different time zones.
In your kick-off call with your Account Director and lead Fyxer we will discuss current priorities and urgent tasks, also confirming the style of communication and working that best suits you. Once we are set up on your systems your Fyxers will start owning tasks on day 1.
You will have a dedicated Fyxer who leads the day to day delivery of work for you, supported by a team of Fyxers, matched to your specific needs. Our account management team will be your main point of contact and trusted advisors at every stage of working with FYXER.
Because you will have a team supporting you, it means when your AD or any Fyxers are away, there is always someone that is familiar with your needs and the specific support you receive from FYXER. This ensures you receive a consistent level of service.
We create a communication and management structure tailored to what works best for you. You will have regular and open communication channels to confirm tasks and priorities with your Fyxers, this usually involves a combination of Slack, email and calls alongside more structured weekly stand ups. Each month you have a monthly meeting with your Account Director to cover strategic priorities, feedback and any new projects or areas you need help with. Once onboarding is complete, your Fyxers use your systems so will be executing tasks and owning workstreams in the background whilst you get on with the important stuff.
Data security and confidentiality are of the utmost importance to us. We use secure, encrypted software which gives you the ability to share sensitive data, whether personal or business, safely and securely with FYXER. A fundamental pillar of your relationship with FYXER is having total trust that any confidential information you share with us will be treated as such.
We do meet clients in person regularly, however we pride ourselves on our ability to work remotely and the majority of our relationship will be remote.
We have working hubs in cities including New York, San Francisco, London, Manchester, Cape Town and Doha and local partners who can deliver in person tasks in other major cities across the world.
Our support extends across executive, business and personal tasks. Read more on our services page. However, if you need help beyond our regular services you can discuss this with your Account Director and we will create a bespoke solution.
