Virtual Office Opens Door To Qualified Workers

Despite continued high unemployment, local businesses are still struggling to find qualified workers. Fortunately, thanks to technology, hiring employees to work from a remote location may solve the troubling skills gap. 

Even when the right candidate applies, relocation can be an impassable roadblock between candidacy and employment.

 

Obviously there are some jobs too, especially in healthcare, hospitality and construction, that just can’t be done “long-distance.”  But many jobs can be performed completely or to a significant degree from an offsite or remote location.

Most interoffice communications are already handled via phone, email, and text messaging.  Meetings, trainings or seminars can be conducted remotely via the internet using meeting software as long as attendees have an internet connection and a phone.  With the increasing popularity of smartphones and tablets, attending a web-based meeting has also never been easier. For those companies with deeper pockets and more complex requirements, video conferencing is also an option.

Documents and data can all be stored and accessed “in the cloud” – a workspace accessible via the internet, which allows for project collaboration by co-workers and a centralized repository for frequently accessed information including documents and schedules.  Google Apps and Microsoft Sharepoint are just too efficient but inexpensive solutions for small business.

There are also a number of advantages to the employer and the employee.   

• The employer might avoid leasing a larger workspace to accommodate a growing workforce. Some businesses might even be able downsize.  (Success Performance Solutions is a perfect example of how a small business can go virtual.)
• Utility and other overhead costs may also be reduced.  In addition to eliminating our lease costs, our phone costs were cut by one-third. Electric and heating costs went to zero.
• Storing and sending documents and memos in electronic versions only can reduce office supply costs.   
• If the employer provides paid parking or reimburses for using public transportation, they may be able to cut back on the number of spaces they supply. 
• Time previously lost in long commutes to and from the office, traffic, or bad weather can be used for work increasing efficiency, or for employees to enjoy a little more balance in their lives.

Going virtual however isn’t without its problems. There are a few logistical items to consider:

• Will the employer need to provide equipment to the remote employees or reimburse them for phone, utility, and internet services?
• Will the employer provide insurance to cover that equipment since it is not located at the brick-and-mortar office? 
• Virtual employees don’t excuse an employer from paying taxes. In fact, there is another layer of complexity added if the employee is a resident of a state different from that of the employer.   Workers Compensation policies and Business Operating Policies may need to be secured for each state where the employee resides.  
• Income taxes differ from state to state and reconciling the taxes at the end of the year for more than one state can be a daunting task even for the accounting-minded.  Using a knowledgeable accounting or bookkeeping service to handle payroll can save employers a lot of trouble and minimize risk.
• Health insurance may also be affected if the employees are residents of another state.

And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention hiring the right people. Working virtually requires discipline, trust, accountability, ability to work independently, and a strong work ethic. The candidate or current employee must have the right personality to work offsite, unsupervised, and with limited contact to other people.

For some positions, for some employees, and for some companies, the virtual office is a viable solution to hiring the right people with the right skills.

Comments

[Office Space NYC]

Having a virtual office in pretty common now a days no wonder why office suites had been pretty popular in a way for more an d more business owners tends to rent such kind of suites as their virtual office.

[list of great virtual office software]

Hiring the right people for your business is the key to success. With some extra hard work and a keen eye for the best candidates, you are sure to find your next great employee.

[Akash]

Really helpful article for the small business owner who wants to have their office but can't take the burden of Office/Staff Management.

Regards-

Akash
Opus Virtual Offices
http://www.opusvirtualoffices.com

[Virtual Offices Melbourne]

Virtual office space is a great alternative if you are a small business who does not need the use of dedicated full time office space, but who still wants to create a professional business identity or if you need a branch office without the high overhead of a full time office space. As we all know taking a virtual office on rent will cost us very cheap and ill also make a different look of our venue for conducting any meeting or conference.

Virtual Offices Melbourne

[Virtual Office]

I agree in your notion that in this current trend in business having a virtual office can surely be a great help to you in terms of multi tasking that the usual office can give you and the cost of renting an office space is much cheaper than owning a virtual office.