1) Building a remote workforce requires adopting new strategies and mindsets as traditional processes may no longer apply. It requires some trial and error. 2) Key aspects of building a remote workforce include assembling teams based on the skills needed rather than roles, fostering a remote mindset, creating an agile workforce, and focusing on results over how work gets done. 3) Benefits of a remote workforce include accessing a larger talent pool, improved productivity, work-life balance and employee retention, increased employee engagement and satisfaction, and healthier and happier employees.

1. How to Build a
Remote Workforce

2. 3 Tips for Building a Remote Strategy
A remote workforce begins with a strategy to shift how people do and think about work because
many of the traditional processes and mindsets don’t apply anymore.
As in most situations involving change, adopting the model requires some trial and error in the
beginning. But when you embrace a remote workforce model, you are in a stronger position to succeed,
as the model enables teams to access specialized skills and operate with greater agility—both are vital
for maintaining growth during unpredictable times.
How to Build a Remote Workforce 2
Assemble teams to drive
effectiveness
Don’t reach for independent talent just
to plug a hole. Think of placing talent
to perform work that makes the highest
business sense.
Don’t think of the roles needed to get work
done, think of the skills needed. View talent
(employees and contingent) as modular
experts who move in and out of project
teams for as long as their skills are required.
Stop thinking about talent as either
internal or external. Embrace all talent
equally for the skills and capabilities they
can contribute.
Foster a remote mindset
Create an agile workforce

3. How to Build a Remote Workforce 3
Speed up Adoption from the Onset
Remote teams need trust to succeed. Team members must trust each person knows how to do the
work and that they hold each other accountable. You can develop trust by incorporating a mix of tech
and soft skills.
Use cloud-based platforms to create a
central information hub, security tools to
maintain data protection, and communication
tools that support synchronous and
asynchronous communication.
Loneliness and feeling isolated are common
challenges when working offsite—which can
affect a person’s wellbeing and productivity.
Find ways for your team to stay connected
regularly and develop relationships. Consider
non-work related get togethers like virtual
coffee breaks or happy hours where people
talk about anything but work.
Keep communication tools simple
instead of overloading people with
too many ways to share information.
And set a cadence for team and one-
on-one communications so people
feel involved, receive regular project
updates, and have a chance to be heard.
Set expectations for output and reinforce
them often. Focus on results, not how,
when, where they do it. This maintains
accountability while entrusting people
to get things done on their own terms,
which is especially important during
these uncertain times.
Invest in technology
Foster community
Communicate clearly
Focus on results

4. How to Build a Remote Workforce 4
One of the main benefits of having a distributed team
is that you get to tap the world’s talent. Not all of the
talent lives within 20 miles of an office, so if you want
to have the best people, and increasingly, successful
organizations are about the best people, you need to be
able to find them wherever they are and not just in your
local area.
When we founded the business back in 2005, we didn’t
set out to build a virtual workforce. We had a hard time
finding qualified talent in the Silicon Valley—they were
either working for another company or starting their own.
Looking outside our local market became the quickest way
to access the skills we needed to support growing project
demands. Today our team is entirely virtual. I’m a firm
believer in the remote workforce model.
Scott Wharton, VP and General Manager,
Logitech Video Collaboration
Erik Allebest, CEO of Chess.com
Expand your talent pool
5 Benefits of Building a Remote Workforce
Beyond the cost savings that comes from supporting smaller office spaces (when it’s safe to return)—or for some
companies, no central office at all—there are many reasons organizations adopt a remote workforce.
Please note that recent events may affect some of the benefits in the short-term, including employee engagement and productivity.
of people with a remote work
option are more likely to recommend
their company to a friend
of companies utilize remote
talent to access skills
1
81%
59%
(Source: OWLLabs.com) (Source: Future Workforce Report 2018)

5. How to Build a Remote Workforce 5
People benefit when they don’t start each day rushing to leave for work and
slogging through commute traffic.
report reduced stress
of employees say they’re most
productive working offsite,
without office distractions
and interruptions
have a more
positive attitude
86%
53%
44%
Gain healthier, happier workers5
Not just because people have fewer
interruptions and are more focused, but also
because they’re working on what they do best.
Improved productivity2
(Source: ConnectSolutions)
(Source: Fundera)
People demand greater work/life balance and are not afraid to find it.
say they’re less
likely to leave their
employer if given a
remote work option
Stanford study shows
attrition dropped
50% when employees
worked remotely
Retain top employees4
74%
50%
(Source: OWLLabs.com) (Source: Stanford Business)
Compared to onsite workers, remote workers are happier in their jobs.
55% of onsite workers say
they’re happy
71% of remote workers say
they’re happy
Increased engagement and satisfaction3
Nasdaq’s 4-person social media team was
tasked with generating Facebook Live shows,
launch Facebook Watch programs and other
videos on demand to support each customer
IPO. The challenge was that they didn’t have
the technical, artistic and analytical skills needed
in-house. They adopted a hybrid workforce
model leveraging independent professionals on
Upwork to support their video project needs.
As a result, they’ve driven millions of impressions
per each customer IPO, up to 100 Facebook Live
shows each month, and much more.

6. Businesses Were Going Remote Before They Had To
As an increasing amount of work shifts from manufacturing-based to knowledge-based, businesses can find talent
anywhere, regardless of where they live. Before COVID-19 pushed many businesses to adopt a remote workforce
sooner, trends showed distributed (remote) teams were becoming common practice.
of employees work
remotely at least 1x week70%
(Source: CNBC.com)
How to Build a Remote Workforce 6
Get a jumpstart with this proven framework
The framework Upwork uses to help clients create a remote workforce
involves a three-phase process developed from years of analyzing
best practices. You can download the complete framework in How to
Build and Expand a Flexible Talent Program. The guide shows how to
efficiently build, measure, and scale a program to meet your business
goals and optimize ROI.
of teams are projected
to be remote in 5 years50%
of remote workers are on
teams where part of the
team is full-time remote and
the other part of the team
works out of the same office
(Source: Buffer.com)
40%

7. We’re Here to Help
Successfully building and managing remote teams is
critical due to COVID-19. For help with best practices, tips
and how-tos, visit Upwork’s Remote Resources Center.
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