Seattle, WA: 206-521-5676 Olympia, WA: 360-236-8748 Portland/Salem, OR: 503-768-9742 Info@SolutionsNW.com
5 Factors to Consider When Hiring Remote Workers

5 Factors to Consider When Hiring Remote Workers

5 Factors to Consider When Hiring Remote Workers

Are you moving your business to a remote-only lifestyle? You’re not alone.

More business owners are choosing to have their employees work from home (or wherever else they can drag their computers). It’s lowered costs and made for happier employees. 

There are benefits to hiring remote workers. Yet, how do you know when you’re ready to make the change? What do you need to keep in mind when your employees are working from home?

Keep reading for four factors to keep in mind when hiring remote workers.

1. CompensationRemote Worker Ergonomics Assessment

Not all businesses are going to have to worry about this, but anyone who hires outside of their local area needs to keep compensation in mind.

Paying remote workers who live around the world isn’t the same as paying ones who live in your city. 

You’re going to have to take into consideration the minimum wage of the areas where your employees work as well as the cost of living.

Employees who work full-time should be able to survive on your wages, but an employee in Kansas will have a very different experience from an employee in Seattle. Adjust accordingly. 

2. Communication

How are you going to communicate with your employees? How are they going to communicate with each other?

Some employers choose to hold mandatory meetings over video chat. Not all employees are happy with this. However, if they’re brief and laser-focused, they can foster great communication. 

Employees with unreliable video equipment, who live with children coming in and out of their home office spaces, may be better off with phone meetings or a text-based chat platform.

You’ll want your employees to be able to talk to each other as if they were in the office. 

3. State Laws

With the variety of locations that your employees can work from, you’ll have to consider various laws and regulations that relate to your industry.

For example, in California, your employees need to be classified as employees. You can’t hire freelance workers to do employee-style jobs. You need to know the difference between employees and contractors. 

You also have to be careful to not transfer the costs of doing business to your employees. You may be responsible for some of the costs associated with doing the remote work, depending on your state.

4. Time Zones

If your employees are working all over the world you’ll need to have a bit of flexibility regarding work hours. Even if you only hire American workers you have four well-known timezones to consider and several lesser-known timezones

If you want the best talent that you can find, you will want to have a broad reach. It might be helpful to allow your employees to set their own hours or complete work on their own time.  A specified time limit can ensure that everyone has a standard workday.

5. Home Office Design

When using remote workers, it is easy to forget about their workstation (out of sight, out of mind). However, because they’re remote workers it is much more important to be involved in ensuring they’re properly set up to perform the job.

For example, if your remote workers are using a laptop from their bed, they are less likely to be as productive had they been working at a desk with a proper home office setup.

Every remote worker needs an ergonomic workstation assessment. This includes ergonomic furniture like the desk and chair, as well as ergonomic gadgets like the mouse, keyboard, and monitor. It may take a small financial investment from the employer or employee, but we suggest an ergonomics assessment to assist your company in setting up a home office for your remote workers.

Right now, companies like Solutions Northwest Inc. are offering virtual ergonomic assessments specially designed for remote workers. During an ergonomics assessment, an ergonomics consultant will help you design the ideal home office setup for comfort, injury prevention, and work productivity.

Just because your employees are working remotely doesn’t mean you can stop catering to their needs.

Using remote workers can give your business a huge boost. Make sure you consider several factors before assigning your employees to remote work. Consider everything that comes along with remote workers and prepare yourself for your new venture. 

If you’d like some assistance on the perfect home office setup for your remote workers,  contact our ergonomics experts at Solutions Northwest Inc. and inquire about their affordable virtual ergonomics assessment.

Looking for more tips on how to create an ergonomic workspace? Contact us at SolutionsNW.com, we will be happy to help you!

At SolutionsNW.com we value the importance of a positive workplace culture. Part of a positive workplace is a safe workplace, Contact Us to schedule an ergonomics consultation or ergonomics assessment for your office today.

Subscribe to our ergonomics blog for more ergonomics tips from Solutions Northwest Inc., ergonomics evaluations available in: Seattle, WA, Tacoma, WA, Olympia, WA, Vancouver, WA, Kent, WA Renton, WA, Beaverton, OR, Portland, OR, Salem, OR.

Virtual Ergonomics Assessment available nationwide!

Contact the Ergonomics Experts at Solutions Northwest Inc. Below:

Multiple Locations

Corporate Office: 120 State Ave. NE #397
Olympia, WA 98501
Business Hours: 8am-5pm M-F
Corporate FAX: 360-866-4773
Email: Info@solutionsnw.com

Olympia, WA

360-236-8748

Portland/Salem, OR

503-768-9742

Seattle, WA

206-521-5676

Contact our Ergonomics Experts

3 Factors to Consider When Assigning Your Employees as Remote Workers

3 Factors to Consider When Assigning Your Employees as Remote Workers

3 Factors to Consider When Assigning Your Employees as Remote Workers

Are many of your employees working from home this year? Or perhaps you’re considering hiring remote workers from now on? You’re not alone.

More business owners are choosing to have their employees work from home. In many cases, it has lowered costs and made for happier employees. 

But is it really that easy? 

There are plenty of benefits to shifting to remote work. Yet, what do you need to keep in mind when your employees are working from home and how can you ensure they stay productive?

Keep reading for three factors to keep in mind when you have remote workers on your staff.

1. Communication will be different for remote workers.Remote Worker Ergonomics Assessment

How are you going to communicate with your remote workers? How are they going to communicate with each other?

You’ll want your employees to be able to talk to each other as if they were in the office. To accomplish this, some employers choose to hold mandatory meetings over video chat. Not all remote employees are happy with this. However, if they’re brief and laser-focused, they can foster great communication. 

Remote workers with unreliable video equipment, who live with children coming in and out of their home office spaces, may be better off with phone meetings or a text-based chat platform.

2. Compensation for remote workers.

Not all businesses are going to have to worry about this, but anyone who hires outside of their local area needs to keep compensation in mind.

Paying remote workers who live around the world isn’t the same as paying ones who live in your city. 

You’re going to have to take into consideration the minimum wage of the areas where your employees work as well as the cost of living.

Employees who work full-time should be able to survive on your wages, but an employee in Kansas will have a very different experience from an employee in New York. Adjust accordingly.

3. Ensure your remote workers have a proper, ergonomic home office setup.

Happy employees are more productive employees. Your remote worker’s home office setup will play a key role in their happiness and work productivity. For example, working from your bed with a laptop won’t yield the same results as working at a desk with a proper home office setup.

A proper home office setup should be designed with ergonomics in mind. This includes ergonomic furniture like the desk and chair, as well as ergonomic gadgets like the mouse, keyboard, and monitor. It may take a small financial investment from the employer or employee, but we suggest an ergonomics assessment to assist your company in setting up a home office for your remote workers.

Right now, companies like Solutions Northwest Inc. are offering virtual ergonomic assessments specially designed for remote workers. During an ergonomics assessment, an ergonomics consultant will help you design the ideal home office setup for comfort, injury prevention, and work productivity.

Just because your employees are working remotely doesn’t mean you can stop catering to their needs.

Using remote workers can give your business a huge boost. Make sure you consider several factors before assigning your employees to remote work. Consider everything that comes along with remote workers and prepare yourself for your new venture. 

If you’d like some assistance on the perfect home office setup for your remote workers,  contact our ergonomics experts at Solutions Northwest Inc. and inquire about their affordable virtual ergonomics assessment.

Looking for more tips on how to create an ergonomic workspace? Contact us at SolutionsNW.com, we will be happy to help you!

At SolutionsNW.com we value the importance of a positive workplace culture. Part of a positive workplace is a safe workplace, Contact Us to schedule an ergonomics consultation or ergonomics assessment for your office today.

Subscribe to our ergonomics blog for more ergonomics tips from Solutions Northwest Inc., ergonomics evaluations available in: Seattle, WA, Tacoma, WA, Olympia, WA, Vancouver, WA, Kent, WA Renton, WA, Beaverton, OR, Portland, OR, Salem, OR.

Virtual Ergonomics Assessment available nationwide!

Contact the Ergonomics Experts at Solutions Northwest Inc. Below:

Multiple Locations

Corporate Office: 120 State Ave. NE #397
Olympia, WA 98501
Business Hours: 8am-5pm M-F
Corporate FAX: 360-866-4773
Email: Info@solutionsnw.com

San Diego, CA

877-976-9462

Olympia, WA

360-236-8748

Portland/Salem, OR

503-768-9742

Seattle, WA

206-521-5676

Contact our Ergonomics Experts

Skip the Extra Coffee – 5 Better Ways to Increase Productivity While Working From Home

Skip the Extra Coffee – 5 Better Ways to Increase Productivity While Working From Home

Skip the Extra Coffee - 5 Better Ways to Increase Productivity While Working

Remote workers know that working from home certainly has its perks. Yet it can also be hard to stay productive when you don’t have anyone with you, cheering you on or helping you stay motivated.

Maybe you’ve already tried taking a lot of breaks and getting more sleep to stay productive. Luckily, there are more ways to boost your efficiency while working from home.

If you’re a remote worker, then your office environment can be a huge part of how productive you are. We have a few tips below from ergonomics experts for maximizing your home workspace potential, as well as other ways to increase work productivity.

Know your peak work times.Remote Worker Ergonomics Assessment

One of the best ways to increase productivity as a remote worker is to know when you do your best work. And depending on your work, it is often possible to set your own work schedule as a remote worker. If possible, tackle your hardest projects during the peak times that you work best. It’s a lot easier to do difficult things when you’re at your best, and it can take a lot less time.

Here’s a remote worker perk: if your job is task-oriented, you may be able to decrease your work hours. If you do your most difficult work during your peak productivity hours, then you may be able to finish all your tasks, finish early, and enjoy the rest of your day!

Decrease distractions in your home office.

When you’re looking for ideas to increase productivity in your home office, the easiest strategy can be to eliminate distractions. That could mean putting your smartphone in a time out for 15 minutes or an hour. You can also set time limits on your web browsers for certain websites, if you’re spending too much time surfing when you should be working.

If you have family, let them know that you will be working during normal hours and that you need to be able to work undisturbed. Don’t be afraid to close the door and put some earphones on to drown out any outside noise.

Establish a routine and a schedule, stick to it as if you had a supervisor watching you.

Create a comfortable and ergonomic home office.

Your furniture is a tool to help you work. Create a comfortable and productive workspace by utilizing ergonomic principles to design a home office or home workspace for yourself.

If you’re not sure where to start, opt for a virtual ergonomic assessment to help you learn where to improve. Ergonomic experts may want you to consider swapping desk chairs or even getting a standing desk to help make the space more comfortable. Your furniture should work for you, not against you.

Read our ergonomics blog for tips or contact our ergonomics experts for an affordable ergonomics assessment of your current home workspace (these can be done virtually due to the current remote work requirements).

Decorate and have fun with your workspace.

Swapping out the decor in your home office can help you be more productive, too. What motivates you, a warm ambiance or a cooler, more minimalist style?

Take advantage of being able to work from home and personalize your space to your own taste. It can make your home office feel fresher, which gives you fresh energy as you take on your daily tasks.

A great perk of working from home is you can work just about anywhere; you may even be able to take a break occasionally and work for an hour in your yard just to get some fresh air.

Skip the extra coffee, and use these tips to improve your workday productivity while working from home.

Instead of upping your caffeine intake, increase productivity with the more natural ways above. With a fresh aesthetic, an ergonomic workspace, and time to work when you’re most efficient, you’ll be on top of your work game in no time.

Did you find this article helpful? Check out the rest of our website for more information!

If you’re ready to invest in your home office space, consider an affordable virtual ergonomics assessment.

The ergonomics experts at Solutions Northwest Inc. are now offering affordable Virtual Ergonomics Assessments specifically for remote workers (all you need is access to e-mail or a smart phone).

Looking for More Tips on How to Create an Ergonomic Workspace? Contact us at SolutionsNW.com, we will be happy to help you!

At SolutionsNW.com we value the importance of a positive workplace culture. Part of a positive workplace is a safe workplace, Contact Us to schedule an ergonomics consultation or ergonomics assessment for your office today.

Subscribe to our ergonomics blog for more ergonomics tips from Solutions Northwest Inc., local ergonomics evaluations are available in: Seattle, Washington, Tacoma, WA, Olympia, WA, Vancouver, WA, Kent, WA Renton, WA, Beaverton, Oregon, Portland, OR, and Salem, OR area.

Virtual Ergonomics Assessments are available nationwide!

Contact the Ergonomics Experts at Solutions Northwest Inc. Below:

Multiple Locations

Corporate Office: 120 State Ave. NE #397
Olympia, WA 98501
Business Hours: 8am-5pm M-F
Corporate FAX: 360-866-4773
Email: Info@solutionsnw.com

San Diego, CA

877-976-9462

Olympia, WA

360-236-8748

Portland/Salem, OR

503-768-9742

Seattle, WA

206-521-5676

Contact our Ergonomics Experts

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