Are you ready for Rural On shoring!
At last, it seems like more UK organisations are returning offshored customer service roles to the UK and Ireland – but rather than putting them into expensive contact centres, they are employing teams of home-based workers. They believe that this rich seam of talent offers fantastic levels of customer service.
Remote working in the UK and Ireland provides a healthy economic option to these companies who can hire from a wider talent pool and outside of high salaried/high cost of living areas such as the South East of UK or Dublin.
Pilots have shown it also has a positive impact on rural areas, especially where a remote working hub has been put into place so that the workers can meet up on regular basis. We’ve even heard of passionate remote workers who are setting up hubs with the support of grants from local enterprise partners in far-flung locations.
Remote working doesn’t suit everyone but research by Powwownow has found that 70% of employees say that flexible options are important in choosing a new role. Employees tend to stay with a company and work most efficiently where they’re happy
It’s clear that companies looking to implement flexible and remote working onshore need to build a culture that is compatible with their business strategy. At the heart of this culture will be a relationship built on trust.
Workers who do get the opportunity to work remotely can help by increasing their visibility when at home. A top tip for remote workers is to send in a daily report with an outline of what they did that day and the results. However, there is a wider issue if Leaders believe can’t trust the team to work while they are not looking and that will permeate the culture whether workers are in the office or working remotely. Rather, Leaders themselves should role model healthy flexible working behaviours such as discipline, attention to detail and smart working habits to ensure that employees who work flexibly or from home know what is expected of them.
As far back as 2013, Stanford University conducted a nine-month study. They assigned a group of employees at a contact centre on a random basis to either work from home or to work in the office. The remote workers showed a 13% performance increase. 9% of that increase was because there were working more hours. Stats like this prove that workers can be trusted!
When the purpose of on shoring is to fine-tune customer service building a relevant culture of trust is paramount. Trust is at the very core of successful on shoring.
We’re Abodoo, and we’re passionate about promoting flexible and remote working. It’s good for employees, employers, and society as a whole. Join the remote working revolution. Call Ruth on 07976 509551 to arrange a webinar or to have a chat about your remote working plans.
