Working from home is not just for entrepreneurs and stay-at-home moms anymore.
Most of the world started working from home during the pandemic and didn’t really have a choice.
Now that we’re mostly on the other side of the pandemic, many people are working from home now because they want to, not because they have to.
But is working from home really the same thing as having an “office” job?
No, working from home is not the same thing as having a remote job. Working from means that you do the bulk of your work at home but may sometimes be required to visit the office for a meeting or other need. A remote job means that there’s not really any such restriction and you can literally work from anywhere in the world.Â
What’s the difference between working from home and a remote job?
Keep reading to learn more about the differences and why you’d want one versus the other.
Real quick, before we get too far into it here, if you want to get more great ideas for your gaming room or home office and want to connect with other home office hackers to make your space the best join my free private Facebook group, Home Office Hacks here.
Does a remote job mean work from home?
Yes and no. Remote jobs can be worked from home. However, remote work environments can be just about any place where WiFi is available. For example, people can work in local libraries, coffee shops, coworking spaces, and also office spaces that anyone can rent for the entire day.
Either way, remote workers have plenty of options on where to work. They can also take advantage of flexible schedules. This makes it a lot easier for them compared to standard office employees.
If you are working in a freelance setting or own a business, you have a bit more freedom. You won’t have to use traditional offices at all. That alone will keep your expenses down.
If you are working for yourself, you can be able to get more clients and customers in many ways. For example, you can join LinkedIn and take advantage of several networking opportunities by connecting with liked-minded individuals. They may refer business your way if the relationship goes well.
What does it mean when a job says working remotely?
Working remotely is defined as doing your job anywhere. So you can be able to do it whenever you feel it fits your needs and preferences. It will be great for cost savings which may otherwise goes towards gas and vehicle maintenance.
You may need to spend money on internet services and business services (if need be). Keep in mind that the monthly subscription costs for various software you’ll need may be factored in if you need to use it for work purposes. This is assuming that it is not covered by the employer (who may reimburse you for such costs if it’s a qualified expense).
If working remotely matches your professional goals, you can find opportunities online via LinkedIn or other job boards such as Indeed. With the growing number of remote opportunities after the COVID-19 pandemic, it gives people a chance to work without having to travel far.
You can work at home without making the long, treacherous commute to San Francisco or any of the larger cities you happen to be living near.
What does remote work look like?
Remote work means work from anywhere. You can work one place on a Monday and work elsewhere the following day. You could work in one city one week and travel to another and work there the next.
The remote work options in terms of location is pretty much limitless. You can work in a quiet space, an office environment, or wherever you feel is a space where you’re most productive. Depending on the type of remote work that you do, you can even work whenever you want.
If you work for a company, you may have set hours. However, if you work for yourself, you can set the hours to whenever you feel is best. We are beginning to learn that remote work for yourself has a bit more flexibility as opposed to working for a company.
What does fully remote mean?
Fully remote means that they can work just about anywhere. This means they won’t have to work in an office setting ever. This is if and when the company has gone fully remote without physical offices.
This means company meetings can take place via Google Hangouts or other apps that allow video calls. Communication will be done through these apps or via email. It’s important that as a business owner with employees, you can decide on which apps will be easier for the tasks at hand.
Whether it’s communication, file transfers, and everything in between, you’ll want to rely on apps that are reliable and affordable so you can work with your remote employees with ease. Depending on the tasks an app can do for you, choose the right subscription service based on your needs and preferences of features and benefits.
What do you call working from home and office?
This is known as hybrid work. This allows you to work at the office from time to time. It can be once a week or once a month.
The schedule may depend on what the employer wants. Some companies will allow you to show up at the office once a week or month depending on the work load. This can be a good way for people to work assuming they don’t mind the commute that happens here and there.
If someone lives closer to the office, they can either work hybrid or increase their appearances at the office itself if they so choose.
Is a remote job worth it?
For most people, yes. It can be worth it for people who want to lessen their commute times and want to stay home and be close to family. People who choose to work from home or in a remote setting have reported better mental health and increased employee productivity.
There are plenty of remote job opportunities for people that they can take advantage of. You can check out remote job boards and find out jobs for customer service, software development, cybersecurity, and so much more.
The good news is that they can be able to do it whenever and wherever they want (assuming the schedule allows them to. Some people may prefer to work in an office setting for one reason or another. That’s because they like to collaborate and share ideas.
They also might do this at in-person meetings as opposed to online. Office workers may want to work in physical locations if they are close by and don’t have much of a commute. Eventually, if they move to a place that may be farther from the office, they can exercise the option of working from home.
In person interactions may be one of the reasons why people prefer an office setting. They see it as part of the company culture. A remote company may have an office where people can do work if and when needed.
Regardless, a remote job will have its upsides and downsides. This may also depend on the person.
Next Steps
Want to connect with other remote workers, contractors, freelancers, gamers and people who work from home who are creating the most amazing home offices and get more tips, tricks and hacks on how to make your home office or gaming room setup the best it can be?
Join my brand new free private Facebook group, Home Office Hacks to connect with other home office hackers to make your space the best!