Should You Hire Remote Staff or In Person Employees? Pros and Cons

Hiring Remote Staff

Pros:

- You have more flexibility to rehire. Firing or replacing a self-employed freelancer is much easier than an in-person employee. Plus, they’ll be more understanding since that’s what they signed up for in the person. Say goodbye to filling out complicated paperwork and the awkward last days that come with it.
- You can save money since you don’t need to offer them high-quality benefits or a commuted salary.
- They are in charge of getting their own licenses and permits so you don’t have to.
- You won’t need to train them since the one you hire should have plenty of experience beforehand.

Cons:

- Since their work is done under their own business name, there is less of a chance they will promote your business or brand.
- Unless you have already drafted an agreement between your contractor, all the work they do will not be owned by you.
- A self-employed remote staff is usually hired short term, so there is less of a chance this is a worker you will spend a long time with.
- Since you can’t exactly monitor what they do from their location, you may lose some sort of control on the way you operate.

Hiring In Person Employees

Pros:

- Your employees will feel like they are part of the team, which will boost morale and job satisfaction.
- Hourly wages are often less than freelancers because an in person employee has more job security.
- Your business will always be fully staffed, even when your workload grows. If you depend on remote staff and freelancers, they may not be available every time you need them.
- You can delegate a lot of tasks that you do not have time to complete yourself.
- You will spend less time training staff since there will be fewer new faces coming in and out of your business. Your in person employees know how you like things to be completed.
- If you choose to go on vacation, you can relax knowing your business is safe in the hands of a trusted few.

Cons:

- With full-time employees, you may be required to provide benefits like health insurance or paid vacation time.
- You are required to pay their salaries on a regular schedule, even if your business is having a downturn. This will mean that you need to have a savings account to cover their salaries, should this occur.
- In person employees require more paperwork to be done.
- Depending on where you live, you may be responsible for any training or licensing requirements needed by your employees.

So Which Is Better?

There is no clear answer to this question as it all depends on your situation and the job you need to be completed. Check out our post on why outsourcing is a better value than in house, in most circumstances. If you have a short-term position open that you do not see yourself needing in the future, a remote worker or independent contractor would be best. If you need someone for the long term or someone to handle face to face communications, an in person employee would be better. It all depends on your and your business’s needs.