How eSignatures Enable Remote Work to be a Success

The COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath have exacted a heavy toll on employers, upending the usual methods of working and conducting business. Companies had to change their processes overnight and shift to a work-from-home model. This resulted in chaos, causing companies to evolve, learn, and adapt quickly. Companies had to adopt a new remote work concept to sustain businesses and stay afloat in a competitive market ecosystem. While organizations are still recovering from the effects of the pandemic, employees are getting used to remote work and the perks that come along with it.

Remote work is vital for job seekers looking to balance work and life. The transition to hybrid role models has helped professionals understand the benefits of remote work. According to a survey by AT&T, the hybrid model adoption rate will rise from 42% in 2021 to 81% in 2024. This is due to remote work being preferred by young employees to work from home or any location at their convenience.

Remote workers are 35-40% more productive than their in-office counterparts -Global Workplace Analytics

The biggest proponents of remote work are the cohort of white-collar workers who have managed to escape the dull routine of 9 to 5. With companies looking to control costs and get the maximum output from an employee, each hire is critical. Therefore, management must put its best foot forward to attract the best employees and carry out a seamless, remote hiring and onboarding process. This is where electronic signatures or eSignatures come into the picture as the most natural and efficient solution.

The introduction of esignatures has eliminated the slow process of signing in various organizations and assisted human resource managers in adding remote workers to their organizations. In addition, electronic signatures have helped improve efficiency in organizations while expediting processes, ramping up security, and lowering error rates. Here are some of its benefits.

Advantages of eSignatures

• Flexible Arrangements

  Employees can leverage flexibility in remote working or hybrid models. Human Resources (HR) can utilize eSignatures to get the employees’ signatures on critical documents from anywhere, anytime. This helps in automating the entire process and aids in document management. Moreover, employees can be productive from day one and choose a convenient time to sign documents.

• Focus on Core Tasks

  Some companies cannot scale due to employees being entwined in mundane, repetitive tasks. The human resources department is no exception. But with eSignature solutions, HR can focus on their core task of recruiting the right employees and automating repetitive tasks. HR can get the signing process digitized and the approval process sped up.

• Higher Productivity

  Implementation of eSignatures can result in higher productivity that will work across borders. Employees can transition from a paper-based process to a paperless one. The signature process can be seamless without the need for printing and scanning documents continuously. Digitizing signature workflows can help enterprises focus on core tasks and business strategies.

• Cost Savings

  Digitizing documents can help enterprises save costs and store data in a secure, centralized space on the cloud. A robust document management system that can sort and archive files in an organized manner can be immensely beneficial for organizations, ultimately leading to improved workflows and massive cost savings.

• Simpler Systems

  Electronic signatures can turn complicated processes into simpler systems. Its implementation can automate processes such as signing contracts, renewal forms, insurance forms, etc. Electronic signature solutions allow employees to sign in the appropriate fields and ensure agility in document management.

95% of organizations either currently use eSignatures or plan to use eSignatures in the future.

With the numerous advantages on offer, Electronic signatures are the most convenient, efficient, secure, and smart replacement for wet ink signatures. In addition, governments across major countries worldwide have passed electronic signature laws that give eSignatures the same legal status as traditional, handwritten signatures.

Federal Laws Applicable to eSignatures

The UETA of 1999 - 48 states in the U.S. has adopted The Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA). The exception is the states of Illinois and New York, which have passed their own laws pertaining to eSignatures. The Act deems electronic signatures to be legally valid with flexibility for the states to make necessary amendments.

ESIGN Act of 2000 – The Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (ESIGN Act) was enacted to provide interstate and foreign commerce guidelines. This Act considers eSignatures legally valid to be produced in court as evidence.

An eSignature can be considered legally valid if it adheres to the following rules:

• An intent to sign as well as an opportunity to decline.
• Proof of the context and circumstances of the signature that would be demonstrable given an audit.
• Connection to the particular document that is signed.
• Validity of records that is reproducible, as needed.

Organizations can choose electronic signatures that adhere to the laws and basic tenets of electronic signatures.

Also Read: Electronic Signatures: Simplifying Workflows for Law Firms

Recommendations for Employers

Employers can follow the recommendations below to set up electronic signatures for remote workers.

• Determine any acceptable exceptions to the policy.
• Review current records retention policies and adjust as needed to ensure no conflicts.
• Determine which documents need to be signed and which don’t.
• Ensure consistent procedures, such as obtaining consent from all employees, assigning each employee a unique username and password, and requiring specific electronic steps in signing a document to leave a transparent trail each time an eSignature is completed.
• Communicate the new policy’s intended use, e.g., what documents can be signed electronically, and then train employees in the processes. The authority of each employee needs to be clearly defined while signing documents.
• Ensure that applicants and employees working remotely have accessibility to the Internet as well as a computer or mobile device to complete an e-signature.
• Confirm that the eSignature policy and procedures are used in compliance with federal, state, and local discrimination laws.
• Stay updated with federal, state, and local laws and case law regarding eSignatures.

How DrySign Helps

DrySign is an eSignature solution that helps in signing documents with ease. It provides advanced security to organizations looking to secure their documents from online threats. In addition, it can help organizations remove any bottlenecks in processes while raising productivity levels.

The various features, such as real-time trails and security, provide transparency and accountability of signing from all stakeholders. It can give great satisfaction levels and provide minimum interference with daily tasks. Notifications and reminders can ensure organizations stay on top of their targets.

Conclusion

Remote work will only increase in the years ahead. Its demand will keep increasing due to the flexibility and convenience it provides in today’s post-pandemic era. The success of remote work depends on adherence to new technologies that can increase efficiency and lower attrition rates. Electronic signatures can help iron out any kinks in the system and benefit organizations in the long run.

Secure your future with the best electronic signature by switching to DrySign.

Source: google.com | globalworkplaceanalytics.com

DISCLAIMER: The information on this site is for general information purposes only and is not intended to serve as legal advice. Laws governing the subject matter may change quickly, and Exela cannot guarantee that all the information on this site is current or correct. Should you have specific legal questions about any of the information on this site, you should consult with a licensed attorney in your area.

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