At BELAY, we ignored conventional business wisdom about what a “traditional” office should look like. And we exceeded our wildest expectations because of it. Seven years ago, we opened our virtual staffing agency with just two employees. Now, we have more than 600 team members!
Did we mention we’re 100% remote?
As we began to grow, we had to decide what mattered more: bodies in chairs or people doing their best work? We decided as long as we had the right people in place, we didn’t care where their chairs were.
In other words, we chose quality over proximity.
Maybe your company is at a major turning point right now. Business is booming, but you’re unsure how to pay for everything that goes along with expanding.
Here are seven signs you might be ready for a remote business model:
-
If rent is eating up a huge chunk of your budget:
This is what put us over the edge all those years ago. We ran the numbers, and rent (for our then-30 person staff) would have cost more $8,000 a month. That didn’t including a necessary build-out, security deposit, utilities, supplies and insurance. Talk about sticker shock! We weren’t about to throw all that cash down the drain. Instead, we invested it back into our employees and grew our business.
-
If employees are pushing for more flexibility:
Many of our team members are mothers and fathers. Some are even caring for kids and elderly parents. That means they need flexibility to attend ballet recitals and doctor visits. When you allow employees to love and care for their families without added stress, they reward you with added loyalty.
-
If morale is lacking:
Eight hours in a dreary, gray cubicle can make even the cheeriest person lackluster. When employees can work from home, a coffee shop, or even an airport, they’re much more likely to be at their mental (and creative!) best.
-
If you’re sick of commuting an hour each way:
No one likes sitting in traffic—not even podcast junkies. The hassle can deplete you before reaching the office! Getting rid of that awful commute means more gas money in your pocket, more time with your family, and less pollution in the air. It’s a no-brainer, really.
-
If you’re itching to offer more benefits:
Employee benefits can be expensive, but they’re totally worth it to attract and keep quality people. Once you free up all that rent money, you’ll be able to offer the benefits you want, like paid maternity and paternity leave, top-notch technology, gym memberships and excellent health coverage.
-
If you need to find money to pay for new employees:
"If you aren’t growing, you’re dying.” That’s just a fact. If you don’t hire the people you need, you’re slowing down your own progress. With remote workers, there’s no need to hunt for office space that will grow with you. Virtual offices have endless space.
-
If your area has an extremely high standard of living:
The great thing about going remote is you can hire people from anywhere in the country. You can find the perfect person from an area where salaries aren’t as high. This isn’t cheating people out of money—they have lower bills and fewer options where they live. It’s a win for both of you.
Everything is going virtual—including your business. There’s no reason to live in the dinosaur age of brick-and-mortar offices when technology has unleashed us from cubicles and redundant in-person meetings. You can do just as much work, for a whole lot less money.
Learn more about taking your company to the next level with the brand new book by BELAY CEO and Co-founder Bryan Miles, Virtual Culture: The Way We Work Doesn’t Work Anymore.