Author:
Ciara Alarcon
For business owners, one of the biggest decisions is whether to hire remote staff or build an in-house team. Both options have advantages and challenges that can impact your company’s finances, productivity, and culture.
This guide breaks down the costs, benefits, and long-term impact of remote staff vs. in-house employees to help you make the right choice.
Hiring employees who work on-site comes with several expenses:
Salaries & Benefits – In the U.S., the average annual salary is around $56,000 (BLS, 2022). Add in health insurance, retirement plans, and paid leave, and benefits typically make up 30% of total compensation (SHRM).
Office Space – Renting and maintaining office space can cost anywhere from $12 to $45 per square foot annually, depending on location (Global Workspace Survey).
Equipment & Supplies – Computers, desks, and other tools can add up to thousands of dollars per employee per year.
Hiring remote employees can significantly reduce overhead:
Reduced Office Costs – Remote staff eliminates the need for rent, utilities, and office maintenance. Companies save an average of $11,000 per remote employee annually (Global Workplace Analytics).
Lower Compensation Rates – Many businesses hire from regions with lower living costs. For example, a skilled remote worker in the Philippines may earn around $10,000 annually, compared to $56,000 in the U.S.
Scalable Costs – Remote staff can be hired on flexible arrangements, making it easier to adjust team size based on business needs.
Stronger Integration – On-site employees are often better aligned with company values and culture (Deloitte).
Immediate Availability – Face-to-face meetings and quick responses are easier with in-house teams (Harvard Business Review).
Direct Supervision – Managers can provide real-time oversight and feedback, leading to higher accountability (Journal of Management Studies).
Access to Global Talent – Remote hiring opens up a global pool of candidates, helping companies find highly skilled professionals (LinkedIn).
Higher Productivity – Remote workers report being 22% more productive than office-based staff (Owl Labs).
Improved Work-Life Balance – A huge 98% of remote workers want to continue working remotely due to better flexibility (Buffer). This often translates into stronger retention.
In-House Employees – Easier to build community and team spirit through face-to-face collaboration. Strong company culture can boost engagement and retention by 20% (Corporate Leadership Council).
Remote Staff – Requires more intentional culture-building through virtual team-building, regular check-ins, and inclusive practices. But when done right, it fosters a diverse and connected global team.
Recruiting and training in-house staff takes time and money. On average, companies spend about $4,000 per new hire (SHRM).
Hiring remote employees comes with its own challenges (like assessing remote readiness), but outsourcing to a staffing partner like Delegate.co simplifies the process. We handle recruitment, vetting, and onboarding so businesses can hire faster and save resources.
Deciding between remote staff vs. in-house employees depends on your priorities:
Choose in-house employees if you value control, face-to-face collaboration, and immediate responsiveness.
Choose remote staff if you want cost savings, access to global talent, flexibility, and higher productivity.
If you’re considering building a remote team but don’t want the hassle of hiring, onboarding, and managing everything yourself, Delegate.co can help. We connect business owners with pre-vetted remote staff from the Philippines, so you can scale your business without the overhead.
Learn more at www.delegate.co and book a call with our team today.
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