Benefits of Remote Work for Talent Retention

I was talking with a senior director in customer service recently and he shared his experience after two years of testing remote work. The results? A resounding YES, with some key insights along the way. Like anything, WFH comes with both benefits and challenges. But when implemented well, the benefits are hard to ignore: (this is the real data!) ✅ Absenteeism decreased by 24% – Employees who would have taken a full day off now request just an hour or two, benefiting both them and the company. ✅ Retention improved, turnover decreased – Less stress from commuting meant employees stayed in roles longer, reducing strain on hiring teams. ✅ Cost savings for employees – Gas, parking, and daily commuting expenses were significantly reduced, especially in high-cost states. ✅ Increased productivity – Call center employees' average talk time jumped from 4-5 hours to 6.5+ hours per day. ✅ Easier scheduling – No more “I’m not in the office at that time.” Meetings between East and West Coast teams became much smoother. ✅ WFH as an incentive – Employees who exceeded KPIs could remain remote, while those falling short returned to the office. This system was self-managing. ✅ Problem-solving skills improved – Without immediate access to coworkers, employees became more resourceful and independent, a crucial skill in customer-facing roles. ✅ Earlier start times – No commute meant employees were more willing to start at 6:00 or 7:00 AM, boosting efficiency. ✅ Expanded recruiting reach – With remote capabilities, they could hire top talent from anywhere, filling roles from the Bay Area to Texas and Florida. Of course, success didn't happen overnight. Investing in the right CRM and dashboards helped leaders effectively manage and support their teams. The takeaway? When done right, WFH isn’t just a perk, it’s a powerful business strategy. I don't think its for everyone or every company in every situation, but I personally appreciate it when this is my work view for a couple hours each day! How has remote work impacted your team? Good or bad, I’d love to hear your thoughts! 👇 #WorkFromHome #RemoteWork #Leadership #EmployeeRetention #FutureOfWork

No surprise here…. In today’s market, the companies we work with that offer hybrid or remote flexibility are seeing significantly stronger interest from top talent. The data backs up what we’re seeing every day. Turnover rates are 27% higher at companies that mandate a full return to office, according to a 2024 Owl Labs report. Meanwhile, job seekers are actively seeking roles that support work-life balance, autonomy, and trust. The average commute in the U.S. is now 26.4 minutes one way, which adds up to over 220 hours per year. That’s more than five full workweeks just spent getting to and from work. For many candidates, regaining that time is a game changer. At the same time, a McKinsey study found that 87% of workers offered flexible or remote options are taking them. They’re also reporting higher satisfaction and stronger engagement. For employers, this is an opportunity. The organizations that remain flexible are winning in the talent market, not just with more applicants, but with better-aligned, longer-tenured hires. If your open roles support flexibility, highlight it. It’s no longer just a perk, it’s one of the most powerful tools you have to attract and retain great people.

☠️ Why Mandated RTO is a Leadership Fail Return-to-office mandates often feel like a fear-based response—fear of change, fear of losing control, and fear of letting go of the familiar. But clinging to old frameworks, like office real estate, isn’t leadership. Leading is about looking ahead, not doubling back to the past. The common justifications for RTO—collaboration and face time—don’t hold up to scrutiny. If connection is the goal, why not invest your office lease money in bringing remote teams together more often in dynamic, diverse settings that foster creativity and innovation? And let’s talk about talent. Are you optimizing for the best talent or the best logistics? Limiting your team to a commutable radius doesn’t just leave untapped potential on the table—it hands the competitive advantage of securing the best talent to your competitors. The data speaks for itself: 📊 A Stanford study found that remote workers are 13% more productive and experience a 50% lower attrition rate than their in-office peers. 📊 FlexJobs reports that 80% of remote workers feel more engaged when working remotely, and 90% say remote work is a top factor in deciding whether to stay at a company. 📊 The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics observed productivity increases across 61 industries as remote work became more common. Leadership isn’t about enforcing old norms. It’s about building a future that works—for your people and your business. That future is flexible, intentional, and focused on outcomes, not outdated traditions. Mandated RTO is a failure of imagination—and imagination is what defines great leaders. So, what kind of leader are you? #Leadership #FutureOfWork #RemoteWork #Retention #EmployeeEngagement

Let's talk about the hidden costs of rigid return-to-office mandates that many seem to overlook.. The impact runs deeper than just losing potential candidates from your talent pipeline. It's silently affecting your current employees in ways that might not be immediately visible: 🧠 For neurodivergent professionals, the office environment can be overwhelming and drain energy that could be better spent on delivering exceptional work. Many have built careful routines and environments at home that help them thrive. 👨👩👧👦 Working parents juggling school pickups, sick days, and extracurriculars are forced to choose between career growth and family responsibilities. The same goes for those caring for elderly parents. 🌍 Many often face longer commutes, turning an 8-hour workday into a 10+ hour commitment. 🏥 The reality of managing regular healthcare appointments, therapy sessions, or ongoing treatments becomes exponentially more complicated when flexibility is removed. These aren't just conveniences - they're necessities for many. While some may not see immediate impact, companies maintaining rigid RTO policies are setting themselves up for a significant talent exodus when market conditions shift. Smart organizations are already recognizing that flexible work isn't just an employee benefit - it's a strategic advantage that: - Widens your talent pool - Increases retention - Promotes genuine inclusion - Supports employee wellbeing - Reduces unnecessary overhead #FutureOfWork #RemoteWork #Inclusion #Leadership #WorkplaceCulture #EmployeeWellbeing #Neurodiversity #WorkLifeBalance #TalentRetention

Recent data shows companies that ended remote work policies are facing significant challenges filling open positions, while their remote-friendly competitors continue attracting top talent.   This trend highlights a fundamental shift in the employment landscape that many organizations still haven't fully grasped.   The most talented professionals now have genuine choice in where they work, and they're consistently choosing employers who demonstrate trust in their ability to deliver results regardless of location.   What's particularly telling is that the return-to-office push isn't supported by productivity data.   Study after study shows remote workers often outperform their office-based counterparts on key metrics.   The real issue isn't about work quality - it's about management comfort with measuring outcomes rather than activity.   Organizations struggling with remote work often have deeper issues around goal-setting, performance measurement, and trust in their teams.   Meanwhile, companies that have embraced flexible work arrangements are benefiting from:   • Access to broader talent pools unconstrained by geography • Higher employee satisfaction and retention rates • Reduced overhead costs • Improved work-life integration leading to better performance   The market is speaking clearly: flexibility and trust aren't workplace perks anymore - they're competitive requirements for attracting and retaining exceptional talent.   Organizations that fail to adapt to this reality will continue struggling to compete for the best people.   How has your organization adapted to changing expectations around workplace flexibility?   Sign up to my newsletter for more corporate insights and truths here: https://lnkd.in/eyXPtQCb   CC: Foster, Brian. "Companies That Ended Remote Work Are Struggling to Fill Vacancies." Glass Almanac, 13 April 2025   #executiverecruiter #eliterecruiter #jobmarket2025 #profoliosai #resume #jobstrategy #remotework #workplaceflexibility #futureofwork #talentacquisition

“Remote Workers Are Unmotivated, Unproductive and Lazy” Let’s Set the Record Straight. Lately some high-profile executives have been saying that remote work leads to lower engagement, decreased productivity, and a lack of motivation. As the Founder and CEO of a fully remote, work-from-anywhere global organization, I strongly disagree. Yes… keeping employees motivated, connected, and engaged in a remote environment takes effort, but it’s absolutely possible. In fact, when done right, I believe remote teams can outperform in-office ones. At Hire With Jarvis we’ve built a strong remote culture through intentional strategies, including: ⭐ Daily Team Stand-Ups → Short, focused check-ins to align priorities, share progress, and remove roadblocks. This ensures seamless collaboration across our global remote team. 🎤 Weekly Town Halls and Kahoot! Games → Keeping things interactive, fun, and engaging. 📈 Company-Wide “Salesfloor” Chat → A space to discuss clients, revenue pipeline, and celebrate wins together. ☕ “Water Cooler” Chat → A dedicated place for lighthearted conversations about current events, TV shows, and personal milestones. 📚 “Jarvis Learning Lab” → A self-paced upskilling program featuring mini-courses, industry insights, expert-led sessions, and cohort-based learning groups designed to foster peer collaboration, mentorship, and real-time skill development. 🚀 Personalized Growth Plans → Structured career paths with clear benchmarks for growth, mentorship, and leadership development. 🔎 Radical Transparency in Performance → We track key inputs and outputs for every role, focusing on outcomes, ensuring real-time visibility into performance metrics. This data-driven approach empowers our team with clear goals, accountability, and a direct line of sight into how their contributions drive business success. But motivation and engagement are always evolving. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution and it’s an ongoing process. I’d love to hear what works for you: How do you stay motivated and/or keep your team engaged when working fully remote? Let’s share ⬇️ what works and help each other build stronger, more connected remote teams.

High-performing employees are the people *most* likely to leave when #ReturnToOffice mandates are imposed. We've had evidence for years now that women, caregivers, and Millennials (who are often also caregivers) value flexibility more than men. New research from Gartner confirms that, but also looked at people who are high performers (those promoted more quickly than their peers) and found they're the MOST likely to bolt. That shouldn't be a surprise. Not only does top talent have more choices, they're also the ones where the signal of "we don't #trust you" stings the most. They're already going above and beyond -- capricious policies tell them that appearances matter more. There are some benefits in employee engagement among Gen Z, but there are better ways than forced marches back to the office to make that happen. After all, 85% of employees want some regular time together -- and they want it most for relationship building. Notably, Gartner found (yet again) that mandates did not improve employee performance. There's no mythical #productivity boost. But "losing high-performers to attrition cost organizations in terms of productivity, difficulty in backfilling the role, and the overall loss of high-quality talent available to fill critical positions.” That's from Caitlin Duffy, director of Gartner's HR practice ( 🔗 link to report in comments!) Many CEOs out there are very aware of this. They get that top talent has choices, and that the decisions UPS and Boeing made about coming back into the office full-time will lead to long term damage. It's also why the vast majority of policies rolled out at the 3 and 4 day level aren't enforced. Let's be realistic, you're not going to nuke your top producers. Leadership via policy is all downside, little to no upside. We need to invest in redesigning how we work and focus on outcomes, not appearances. #retention #talent #returntowork #rto #remotework #flexiblework #hybridwork

For companies who are demanding employees return to the office, your resistance to remote work can be hurting engagement and retention. Asking people to leave behind flexible work arrangements can lead to a loss of trust, a lack of work-life balance, and productivity concerns.  Let’s look at Yelp. The company has embraced a fully remote workplace and closed its offices in five major cities because of underutilization. After reading this HR Brew article on Yelp’s remote-first approach, here’s what stood out to me the most. • Productivity remained strong: The company reported a record net revenue of $312 million for six consecutive quarters. Product velocity is also higher than it’s been in recent years.  • Flexibility helped boost recruitment: The applicant pool for general and administrative roles increased by 200%. Yelp’s Chief People Officer also shared that research showed queer employees and employees of color feel more comfortable working remotely and it’s helped them expand their candidate pool of diverse talent. As we see more companies push for #RTO, let’s continue to share success stories of how remote work has helped build a more inclusive and productive environment. If your company is fully remote, what are some of the key benefits you’ve seen? #remotework #hybridworkplace #inclusiveworkplace 

Most people aren’t chasing dream jobs anymore. They want flexible jobs to fuel their dreams. With companies everywhere pushing their people back to the office, Spotify’s decision to stay remote is a breath of fresh air—and a wake-up call for the rest. And here’s why that choice matters. Studies show remote work doesn’t just boost morale; it improves productivity. A recent Stanford study found that remote employees were 13% more productive and took fewer sick days than their in-office counterparts. Another report by FlexJobs revealed that 65% of professionals say they’re more productive at home, with fewer distractions and less time lost to commuting. The benefits are clear: 𝗕𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵: Remote work reduces stress and burnout by eliminating daily commutes and creating flexibility. ↳ A 2022 Gallup poll showed that employees who work remotely or hybrid are significantly less likely to feel burnout than those in-office full-time. 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗝𝗼𝗯 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: People who work remotely report higher job satisfaction rates. ↳ It’s no wonder, given that they have more control over their schedules and can prioritize family time, hobbies, and personal growth. 𝗖𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: The average employee saves over $4,000 annually by working from home, thanks to reduced commuting and work-related expenses. ↳ Companies, too, save big on overhead—adding flexibility to reinvest in what matters. Spotify understands that these benefits aren’t just about morale; they’re about building a workplace where people thrive. While you look to progress in your career, consider this: - Find roles that respect your time. - Seek to prioritize mental health and life quality. - Turn passions into income streams aligned with you. You don’t need to climb the corporate ladder to achieve wealth and stability. But you do need a work-life structure that supports your mental health. Here’s how I’d build that structure: 1. Grow your Distribution – Start before you're ready and grow your LinkedIn, launch your YouTube with a video podcast, grow your audience. 2. Start a Simple Service Business – Identify a skill you excel in and offer it to clients. 3. Develop a Digital Product – Package your expertise into an online course, eBook, or other format that can create passive income. People today aren’t looking for dream jobs. They’re looking to design dream lives. And as Spotify has shown, it starts by creating a work environment that works for you. What are your thoughts? ♻ Repost if you agree. ➕ Follow Nico for more on growth & career.

The data is in: Return-to-office mandates are not worth the talent risks. Three groups in the highest demand are also the biggest flight risks: High-performers, women, and millennials. High-performers may perceive RTO mandates as a signal of mistrust from management and report a 16% lower intent to stay in the face of on-site work requirements. Meanwhile, women and millennials whose organizations had implemented mandates were actually negatively impacted compared to those at organizations that had not. Nearly two-thirds of employees report working best in a remote environment. They also report higher feelings of inclusion in a remote environment compared to an on-site environment. Oh, yeah, and with #COVID19 risks continuing to rise and fall with new variants, #workfromhome is also safer. We're currently at our lowest point in a year, but that still means around 10 million infections a month in the US, with each reinfection reportedly raising risks of Long COVID symptoms. Even in our COVID lulls, 1 in every 33 Americans still gets infected each month, and 10 to 25% of them will be left with longer-term symptoms that could resolve in months, years, or never. See the full findings on #RTO practices and impact here: Gartner for HR | #GartnerHR