Funneling $1 trillion in infrastructure projects into the economy through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act has spurred construction work in remote locations. But employers still must attract skilled workers to areas where they’re needed—sometimes far away from their homes. Incentivizing work, partnering with local hotels for lower rates, and connecting workers with training and education opportunities can help attract workers to remote job sites.

5 ways to entice remote work

1. Give incentives to work away from home

Offering substantial per diem payments, higher hourly pay, and other incentives can entice workers to remote job site locations. If there’s little incentive to leave home, workers won’t. 

Employers can also offer per diem payments for food and lodging and a weekly or bi-weekly paycheck as part of their salary.

“It’s tax-free cash, so many people try to save on lodging to save some of that per diem pay,” said Rita, a construction worker in oil and gas development who has worked on remote projects.

Employees might see a significant pay boost if their employer helps them save on lodging costs. In a way, it’s like raising their wages without paying them more.

2. Partner with local accommodations to negotiate better rates for employees

A penny intentionally saved for your employee might mean two pennies earned for you in return, thanks to a grateful and more productive worker. A well-rested employee is also a safer employee. 

Arranging the right accommodations for employees can even be a life-or-death matter of safety in work areas where medical facilities are few and far between. Studies also show that long work hours combined with poor sleep quality can increase the risk of workplace injuries. According to the National Sleep Foundation, sleep deprivation increases the likelihood of a workplace accident by 70%. 

Lodging choices are about the individual worker’s comfort level, though. Many of Rita’s co-workers worked remotely while living in recreational vehicles (campers), while others room-shared or found the cheapest motels possible to save money.

3. Advertise the location benefits

For Mike, a union painter from oft-cloudy Western Pennsylvania, a few things enticed him to jump ship from PA to Florida: 

• The promise of steady work with overtime 
• Being in a warmer climate 
• Higher pay

Although Mike still makes union-scale wages, receiving $175 per diem for living expenses helped him move south. Given the other positives of this remote work, Mike couldn’t say no to the offer.

He’s enjoying the work and his home away from home. “I don’t mind all the sunshine,” he said.

4. Connect training and advancement opportunities to remote project work

Offering training opportunities helps workers advance their careers. Offering education and the ability to advance their career in remote locations can entice workers to make the move. 

Most construction companies recognize the need to attract employees with some technical knowledge. So, construction-focused apps and tech tools are becoming more prominent on construction sites and anywhere contractors work. Employees are often eager to learn these new tools.

As such, one of the easiest ways to entice workers to move locations is to tie a remotely located project with new technology or tools training for employees. That way, they can learn more while they earn more.

5. Offer the ability to work every day

Overworked employees can be a massive hindrance to company success, but while balancing work and off-time is a juggling act, many employers are under strict deadlines to complete projects. 

Couple that with the fact that employees don’t always enjoy being away from home—those working remotely may prefer to work long days with overtime.

At a minimum, Rita worked six 10-hour days while working in a remote location. She also had the opportunity for more overtime on Sundays and often took advantage of the extra work.

Bottom line: Attracting employees to remote job sites is more art than science

Getting employees to work in remote locations happily means paying attention to their needs—and more pay is often the greatest of needs. When companies increase worker pay, they’re more likely to comply with remote work locations. 

The other part of the equation is making workers as comfortable as possible. Whether that’s with lodging and food costs or offsetting transportation expenses, every little gesture helps. But perhaps most importantly, it’s a matter of keeping workers happy by keeping them busy and productive.