Almost half of entrepreneurs (47%) said their priorities have changed for the better since moving to a remote model

Survey reveals over half of the UK’s remote entrepreneurs have hired international employees

Global HR and payroll company Remote surveyed 1,505 remote entrepreneurs to gain a better understanding of their hiring habits and priorities.

• Over half (56%) of the UK’s remote entrepreneurs have hired international employees.
• 88% of the UK’s remote entrepreneurs believe having a hybrid or remote company structure has positively impacted their company’s culture.
• Almost half of entrepreneurs (47%) said their priorities have changed for the better since moving to a remote model.
• Over a third (35%) of entrepreneurs said the thing they enjoy the most about starting their own company is being their own boss. 
• Out of the UK companies that have moved to a remote or hybrid business model since the pandemic, 80% have made savings on their business costs.

July 2022: Remote has surveyed 1,505 entrepreneurs who work remotely across the UK, US and Canada to determine how founders around key markets are working remotely on their businesses, and how they navigate their teams. You can view the full study here: https://remote.com/blog/remote-entrepreneurs

Remote work has become the norm now more than ever. There are additional benefits to hiring remotely, including financial benefits for employees and employers, a wider pool of talent to choose from and increased diversity within a company. 

Hiring remote workers has broadened the application pool significantly, with people from all over the country and world being able to work for a company without being in an office.  

Over half (56%) of remote entrepreneurs in the UK have hired international employees

Remote’s survey asked entrepreneurs how many of their employees are based internationally to determine who is making full use of remote working opportunities. 1 in 3 (30%) entrepreneurs in London stated that the majority of their team is based in another country, which translates to over half (56%) of UK remote entrepreneurs having hired international employees. 

Please see below the state of remote hiring across the UK, USA and Canada.

Remote entrepreneurs attitudes to hiring	% Responses (UK)	% Responses (USA)	% Responses (CAN)
Some of my team is based in another country	29%	10%	27%
The majority of my team is based in another country	19%	5%	18%
I don’t hire anyone internationally and don’t have any plans to	19%	37%	21%
I don’t currently hire anyone internationally but have plans to	17%	16%	14%
All my team is based in another country	8%	5%	11%
None of the above	7%	28%	10%

88% of the UK’s remote entrepreneurs believe having a hybrid or remote company structure has positively impacted their company’s culture 

88% of UK entrepreneurs believe having a hybrid or remote company structure has positively impacted their company culture, and this has meaningful effects for employee retention, satisfaction, and productivity. 

The top 5 areas of business that have benefited from remote and hybrid working in the UK are listed below.

Areas of positive impacts	% of respondents responses
More flexible and autonomous approach to work	28%
Improved mental health and wellbeing	25%
Improved employee satisfaction	23%
Enhanced engagement and productivity	22%
Helped improve workplace culture	21%

Almost half of entrepreneurs (47%) said their priorities have changed for the better since moving to a remote model

The pandemic taught many workers to take an alternative approach to work. These new arrangements, particularly flexible work arrangements, have brought into question traditional employee-employer relationships, work time and working hours, and work-life balance. 

46% of entrepreneurs in the UK said their priorities have changed for the better since adapting a remote work model; for example, prioritising a better life-work balance and more time for friends and family.

Priorities outside of work	% of respondents responses
My priorities have changed for the better e.g. better life-work balance, happier, more motivated, more time for friends and family	47%
My priorities have remained the same	42%
My priorities have changed for the worse e.g. less human interaction, loneliness, struggling with establishing team culture	11%

Over a third (35%) of entrepreneurs said the most enjoyable part of entrepreneurship is being their own boss

There are several reasons why people opt to start their own businesses, such as for financial gain or increased independence. Remote’s survey revealed over a third (35%) of entrepreneurs said the thing they enjoy the most about starting their own company is being their own boss. 

Meanwhile, 29% said increased flexibility is the biggest advantage, and 28% most enjoyed the feeling of pride in building their own business.

What, if anything, do you enjoy most about starting your own company?	% Responses
Being my own boss	35%
Controlling my lifestyle and schedule	29%
Feeling pride in building my own business	28%
Challenging myself	24%
Following my true passion	24%

As technology continues to develop, remote entrepreneurs and enterprises appear to be the future of the workplace. There are several valid reasons to desire the freedom of becoming an entrepreneur, from being your own boss to controlling your own schedule. 

If you wish to alter your lifestyle, consider your abilities and interests to choose whether this could be the right path for you.