We are the first to praise the benefits of the virtual workplace. Our company, Complete Controller, has always been a virtual company and has grown into a nationwide presence over the past decade. This has all been done without ever relegating a single team member to a cubicle, requiring a time-consuming commute, or insisting upon a structured 9 – 5 workday schedule. Our workplace is entirely ‘in the cloud’ and this structure has proven to be highly effective. Here are some benefits of a totally virtual workforce and what to look out for:
Keep Costs Down
One of the clearest benefits of a virtual workforce is the savings on leasehold improvements and overhead expenses. As accountants, we are always watching our numbers and the idea of establishing an office space that could limit our talent pool by requiring our staff to be within driving range of that space does not seem practical.
Keep Morale Up
By keeping it virtual, we are naturally more concerned with work product than work time. We already know how long it takes to do the work, so we can determine if a staff member is struggling and give them the training or support they may need to get up to speed. If their work product is excellent, they can have a job for life, no matter what life changes may occur.
Hire Smarter
A virtual workforce allows us to select from an entire nation of talent. This virtualization of the workforce breaks open the talent pool and brings potential employees from all over the world. Our recruits are hired solely on their merit and abilities, so we do not care about how they dress, what ethnicity they are, or where they live. Since we are dealing with people’s money and sensitive documents, we chose to hire within the U.S., but other types of businesses can draw from an even larger talent pool.
Knowledge Share in Real-Time
We are comfortable conversing and collaborating via email and have learned to clean and extract written knowledge and make it available on the group level. This allows for the quick evolution of the process and the continuous knowledge to be shared within the roles in our organization. To support the quick identification of data, every team member should understand the organization’s mission and core values. The main objective is to be able to share knowledge and best practices in real-time which can positively influence every team member’s workflow.
Build a Culture
One of our values is the promotion of “Autonomy– Independence without Isolation.” By facilitating collaboration and knowledge shared with each member of our team, we are empowered to make smart decisions. We encourage exchange between team members on a technical level, as well as a social level. Although some employers may view it as a waste of valuable time and resources, a great deal of bonding occurs during ‘water cooler’ or ‘coffee break’ time together. Through these virtual interactions, loyalty is developed, and our team is greatly enhanced by glimpsing into one another’s lives beyond the workplace.
Conclusion
Entrepreneurs, small business owners, and larger corporations continue to move in the direction of total office virtualization. It is the smart choice for most service businesses, as the business ‘community’ continues to become a web of interdependent experts that support each business size and type. Businesses today have unprecedented access to expertise outside of their geographic area at a lower cost than ever before due to quick access via the Internet. You can be assured that they will continue to move away from choosing the local in-office standard and begin to move towards a virtual environment. This virtualization opens a world of possibilities for sales, expertise, and employee talent pool.
About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.
