I’ve been a digital marketer for almost 5 years now, and this is my first remote job.
I started as Marketing Manager here at Steadman Brown in February this year, after being made redundant from my previous job. I wasn’t looking for a remote role, I was mainly focusing on on-site or hybrid roles as that is what I was used to. Plus, I am a people person and do love a good chat.
But when Lewis, our director, reached out about this role and found that it would be remote, I was intrigued. A year ago, I probably would have dismissed the idea of a remote job immediately. Still, I had wanted to get back into marketing for a recruitment agency and felt that I would have been an idiot for passing it up.
But I’ve also come to see how great it is for Salesforce professionals to have the opportunity to work from home too. With thousands of professionals across the UK, flexible/remote working means there are more opportunities to find the perfect role and for Salesforce customers to find their perfect Salesforce gurus.
But what other advantages are there, and will flexible/remote working become the norm in the future?
The pros of flexible working
When COVID-19 was affecting all of us in 2020, remote working was the preferred and best way for businesses to continue operations without putting their employees out of work. It was reported that 43.1% of the population worked from home, almost half of the working population.
Although some companies have started to bring their employees back to the office full-time, others have decided to go down a different route. For example, Salesforce has adopted a flexible working approach for all their employees from hybrid to remote, with their ‘no one-size-fits-all’ approach. And since their introduction to flexible working, office attendance has risen by 40% since February 2023.
But what are the benefits of flexible working?
For Salesforce professionals
- Commute – save time and money commuting to and from the office.
- Work-life balance – More time in the mornings, evenings, attend classes or just more time to relax and spend with family.
- Concentration – Some can find the office distracting with the chatter and noise, flexible work suits some more than others so they can work from home in peace.
- Fewer expenses – Saving money on travel, fewer temptations from your favourite lunch spots, and more.
- Visit the office/team – flexible working gives you the option to go to the office, whether it’s for a meeting or even a change of scene.
- Work from anywhere – For example, Steadman Brown is based in Dartford, Kent. Whereas I’m based up north in St Helens.
- More opportunities – flexibles roles offer Salesforce professionals more opportunities to find the best position for them and their careers.
For Employers
- Easier communication –Access to platforms such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Slack, and more makes it much easier for teams to communicate. Plus, most meetings (even for on-site employees) can be conducted online.
- Morale – Flexible working can boost the morale of employees, as they feel that they have a little more freedom, while still focusing on their work.
- Job satisfaction – As more look for flexible work, offering this to employees may just decrease the rate of those leaving.
- Costs – Reduces the cost of gas and electricity, and as prices continue to increase on rent, can give employers the option to downsize.
- Reduces staff absence – As shown by Salesforce above, flexible working can increase office attendance but also reduce sick leave due to less stress.
Will flexible working become the norm?
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the idea of remote or flexible working was in the air but it wasn’t common across the country. Just 4.7% worked remotely in 2019.
A recent study from the Institute of Directors has shown that 8 out of 10 business leaders want to offer a form of flexible working. Of course, not everyone has the option to work from home; customer-facing roles such as hospitality, healthcare, etc. require employees to be face-to-face. But office-based roles can give more flexibility.
Currently, 10% of the office workforce are remote full-time, while one in three have a form of hybrid working. Plus, it is estimated that people value the ability to work from home two or three days a week about the same as they would an 8% pay rise. As for job seekers, the demand for flexible/remote working in 2023 increased by 120%, and 59% of workers expressed a preference for fully remote work.
Flexibility in a Salesforce world
As mentioned above, there are a vast number of advantages to flexible working. And with so much now online such as Salesforce, it’s even easier to work from anywhere.
At Steadman Brown, a large majority of our active roles are either hybrid or remote. Not only is it great for us in being able to find candidates, but it’s perfect for Salesforce customers as it increases the talent pool and the opportunities to find their Salesforce professionals much quicker than if it was fully on-site.
From these recent studies and how the world has changed since 2020, it looks to be that flexible and remote working is here to stay, and potentially be the norm for generations to come.