A long commute is one of the biggest reasons employees want to work remotely. And the new study commissioned by 8×8 and carried out by Dynata highlights this very point by revealing the wasted costs of commuting.
Wasted Costs of Commuting
The study says 58% of employees believe their company loses $10-25K annually because of their commute to and from work. Another 23% say their company loses more than $75K as a result of the commute.
For small businesses with a limited workforce, it can result in everything from low productivity to bad customer service and eventually affecting the bottom line. And this is yet one more reason remote work, freelancers and remote solutions are becoming the norm.
In the release for the study, Dejan Deklich, Chief Product Officer at 8×8, addresses this very challenge small businesses are facing.
Deklich goes on to say, “As most small businesses typically operate on thin profit margins, being able to salvage even 1% of revenue by giving employees time back in their day without sacrificing productivity or human connection is critical.”
The good news for small businesses is there are now many solutions in place to completely eliminate work commute or reduce it dramatically.
The Study
The survey for the study polled 500 U.S. – based knowledge workers in organizations with 1-100 people. And the one clear consensus is the need to minimize traditional workplace headaches such as commuting.
Even with organizations with remote work policies in place, the need to commute for a meeting still takes up a lot of time. According to the study, 30% of the respondents say meetings require them to come to the office. This can be anywhere from daily meetings to multiple times per week.
So, it goes without saying it defeats the purpose of having remote working options.
Because meetings are an essential part of business operations, supporting employees who want to avoid long commutes with the right technology is a plus for everyone.
The Right Technology
Having the right technology in place will allow employees to make valuable face-to-face interactions remotely. With this technology, businesses can support employees who don’t want to or can’t commute to work for differing reasons.
But before your employees can start to meet remotely, the technology has to deliver a seamless and intuitive experience. In fact, this is one of the issues the study addresses. More than two-thirds (38%) of the respondents say connectivity and technological issues are qualities they least like about virtual meetings.
Once a solution is in place, 60% of the respondents say they use video or screen sharing when hosting a virtual meeting. The benefit of using this technology is it means they can work from anywhere, which is the case for 40%. Another 20% say the technology also improves their connection with colleagues.
Adopting the technology for your small business doesn’t mean you have to bust your budget, because there many options, including free ones.
Free Options
The 8×8 Video Meetings is one such free option. With a WebRTC-compatible browser you can carry out Unlimited meetings, unlimited minutes, and dial-in capabilities with toll-free numbers for free.
Considering the offer comes from one of the leading brands in the space, it is a great option for small businesses looking for a reliable solution.
In addition to the reliability and free cost, you get an updated intuitive interface with some solid features. This includes the ability to schedule meetings quickly with Google, Microsoft and Virtual Office calendar integrations; dedicated virtual meeting space with a personalized URL for each employee; no guest downloads because it uses WebRTC; security options such as being able to add meeting passcodes and randomly generate meeting names exponentially over time.
You can take a look at the 8×8 Video Meetings here.
Even though you have many free options, make sure the solution you choose comes from a reliable provider. After all, you don’t want your meetings to be interrupted with service limitations.
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