Are Telework and Remote Work Equalizers for Small Businesses?

January 25, 2025

Are Telework and Remote Work Equalizers for Small Businesses?

Absolutely. Telework offers balance, efficiency, sustainability, and talent (BEST) advantages for small business. There are also concerns as accountability, cohesion, and cybersecurity (ACC). When managed well, telework and remote work can give small businesses an edge over big employers.

Big employers have for the most part killed telework and remote work. Big corporations began ordering return to work once the COVID pandemic was resolved. Big businesses want employees collocated, collaborating in person, with the hopes that interpersonal connections can spark lucrative creativity and innovation. The federal government is doing the same, but for other reasons. 

President Trump has ordered the return to the office of all federal employees who were working from home during the Biden administration. Trump's executive order states wanting to stimulate the economy and avoid the national embarrassment of empty federal government buildings in DC. Building owners and food vendors have lobbied extensively for the return of federal workers to their offices. In addition, the forced return may prompt many feds to retire or otherwise quit their jobs, which is something that Team Trump supports. The notion is that most federal employees are democrats or liberals from the District of Columbia, Northern Virginia, and Maryland who presumably do not favor Trump's MAGA policies. 

The decline of telework in larger corporations and now in the federal government under the Trump administration presents a unique opportunity for small businesses to leverage telework as a competitive advantage. Below is food for thought about why telework can promote Balance, Efficiency, Sustainability, and Talent (BEST) rewards for small businesses.  

Balance:

• Telework can facilitate the work-life balance sought by many employees these days. Younger generations of workers often value flexibility of telework and remote work. Small businesses can use the work-life balance promise of telework or remote work as an effective recruiting tool.  

Efficiency

• Telework reduces the need for physical office space, utilities, and associated expenses, which can be significant for small businesses with limited financial resources. Small businesses can leverage the savings in real estate and infrastructure to offer competitive salaries to remote workers.

Sustainability. 

• Telework reduces the carbon footprint associated with the daily commute to and from work, and reduces energy use in office spaces and buildings. Small business can market their social responsibility and enhance their image in the community.

Talent

• Above all, telework and remote work can allow small businesses to recruit and retain productive talent that they would otherwise do not have access to. Employees working remotely can often be more productive due to fewer workplace distractions and better time management. Not having to get dressed formally every day and avoiding the daily hassle of commuting to and from work can help employees focus on work and productivity. Offering telework can reduce turnover rates by improving job satisfaction and reducing burnout, a critical consideration for small businesses with limited HR resources.

As with everything in life, telework and remote work are not a panacea and come with their own challenges. Below are three examples: 

1. Accountability. To make telework successful, small businesses need clear policies on performance measurement, communication, and accountability.
2. Cohesion. Small businesses must find creative ways to build team spirit and maintain a strong company culture in a remote setting.
3. Cybersecurity: Implementing robust cybersecurity measures is essential to protect sensitive data when employees work remotely.

In sum, now that big business and big government are closing themselves to telework and remote work, doors are opening for small businesses to seize the opportunity. By embracing telework and remote work, small businesses can position themselves as socially responsible, employee-friendly organizations, that can attract and retain top talent while saving money on real estate and administrative expenses. There is plenty of value in telework and remote work. Luckily for small businesses, big businesses and federal agencies are moving out of their way, leaving the value up for grabs by clever small businesses and entrepreneurs. 

Now you know it. Now you have superior business intelligence (BI). Keep improving it. Create BI with Creatix, the world's first BI matrix. 

www.creatix.one