Have you ever dreamed of working from home? On your time, with no boss looking over your shoulder. Yeah, me too. But the thing is, it can be hard to get headhunters and hiring managers to take you seriously. Especially when you’re trying to reach out across the country for jobs that require a lot of face-to-face work.
How does one bridge the gap from being employed to being a telecommuting home worker? Some of these steps require preparation, while others don’t. No matter where you are in your job search, there are steps you can take right now to get yourself ready for that big transition into remote work that not only keeps your bills paid but also lights up your passion every single day at work.
What is Telecommuting
Telecommuting is a type of work in which an employee does not travel to a central workplace but instead works at home or another remote location. It offers many benefits, including the ability to live in a more desirable area and the ability to work from home, which can lead to increased productivity.
The downside of telecommuting is that it can be difficult for some people to stay focused on their work when they are not working in an office environment. It can also be challenging to collaborate with other colleagues if they are not physically present.
Telecommuting is more popular for people who hold managerial positions and for those who want to exercise their freedom over where they work. People who telecommute often choose to do so out of a desire for either better work-life balance or more flexibility in their schedule. Global Workplace Analytics estimates that 56% of the U.S. workforce presently holds a job that is related to remote work.
Telecommuting is used by various companies in different industries. In the software industry, telecommuting is common because it allows employees to work from home and still interact with coworkers via email and video chat. In the manufacturing industry, telecommuting may be more limited because of safety regulations for transporting parts to a central location.
What are the Benefits of Telecommuting
Telecommuting is not just a trend; it is a way of life for many people. It gives you the freedom to work from anywhere and at any time with the same productivity as if you were working in an office.
The benefits of telecommuting are numerous and include:
- Reduced stress levels
- Improved productivity
- Increased employee satisfaction
- Improved family life
- Saves cost
Read our most recent article on the benefits of working remotely.
While there are many benefits to working remotely, one of the most important ones is reducing your commute time. This can lead to less stress and more time to spend with your family. Telecommuting also means that you will have more flexibility in your schedule, which can help with balancing personal and professional responsibilities.
How to Make the Most of Your Telecommute Job
Telecommuting is a great way to work from home and still be productive. It can also be a great way to save money on gas, childcare, and other expenses.
The following tips will help you get the most out of your telecommuting job:
1) Make sure you have a reliable internet connection. If your internet connection goes down, your work stops. Make sure you have a strong and reliable internet service provider while working remotely.
2) Find a quiet place to work that is free from distractions. Make sure your workspace is clutter-free and free of distractions. Keep your work area neat, highly organized, and well maintained.
3) Set up your office space with everything you need for the day: a computer, a desk, a chair, etc. Also, set up a phone line so you can take calls from colleagues while you are at home.
4) Create a work schedule so that when your boss sends out a project or assignment, it won’t be such an interruption. Be prepared to spend some time each day on administrative tasks (e.g., updating email lists). Take breaks throughout the day to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
5) Take breaks when needed and get outside for fresh air every once in a while. Keep good track of time and stay on schedule. Take notes about what your workday has been like for the day at the end of each day, and write down any ideas that come to you. Find a pet pal or a friend to chat with about what’s going on in your life. Set boundaries for yourself so that you don’t over-work yourself.
Telecommuting Advantages and Disadvantages
Telecommuting is the practice of working from home or another location outside of your employer’s office. Working from home is a growing trend among American workers. A Gallup poll showed that 43 percent of full-time employees reported spending at least some time working remotely in 2016.
Telecommuting offers many advantages to both employers and employees, but it also has some potential drawbacks that you should consider before making the move.
The Advantages of Telecommuting
1) Saves Time and Money. You can save time and money by not having to commute, which means you’ll have more time for family and leisure activities. You also won’t have to pay for gas and parking, which will save you a lot of money over a year.
2) Less Stress. Telecommuting reduces stress on public transportation systems because fewer people are using buses and trains during peak hours. It also reduces traffic congestion because fewer cars are on the road during rush hour.
3) More Productivity: Telecommuting has been linked with higher productivity levels; research indicates that employees who work from home are more productive than those who work in an office environment because they don’t have distractions such as chatting with coworkers or taking breaks to go out for coffee.
4) More Family Time: Working from home means you’ll have more time to spend with your family each day and less time commuting from work. This is especially beneficial if you have young children who need your attention during the week or if you have elderly parents who need help after school or on weekends. Telecommuting allows you to spend more time with them rather than being stuck in traffic every day.
5) Flexibility: Telecommuters can set their hours and work while they’re most productive. Parents may be able to take care of their children during school hours or after school, while other telecommuters may be able to avoid rush hour traffic by working before 8:00 AM or after 5:00 PM.
The Disadvantages of Telecommuting
While there are many advantages associated with telecommuting, there are some disadvantages as well. What are the disadvantages of telecommuting?
There are several reasons why people choose not to work from home, or at least do so only part-time:
1) No social interaction: This can be a problem if you’re introverted or just don’t like spending too much time alone. While some people enjoy the solitude of working solo, others miss having colleagues nearby and interacting with them daily.
2) No collaboration: When people work together in an office setting, they often collaborate on projects or share ideas during meetings or lunch breaks. When they don’t have that opportunity when telecommuting, they may feel isolated or unproductive because they aren’t getting feedback from others on their work or ideas.
3) Distractions: You may end up wasting time on the internet or watching TV. Don’t let yourself get distracted! You’ll be much more productive if you take a break every hour or so and go for a walk outside, or even just get up from your workstation.
4) Lack of structure: Telecommuters don’t have set hours for starting and ending work, so the schedule can be difficult to manage.
How to Find a Remote Job
Telecommuting is becoming more and more popular. The United States alone is home to about 44 million full-time telecommuters. That’s roughly 3% of the total workforce. In fact, there are plenty of good reasons why it makes sense to work remotely, and why it could be a better fit for your career than a traditional office job.
If you’re interested in working remotely but don’t know where to start, this guide is for you. We’ll walk you through everything you need to know about finding a remote job.
There are two main ways to find a telecommuting job:
1) Job listings on websites like Indeed or Glassdoor. These sites have thousands of openings listed, but they aren’t necessarily all legitimate opportunities. You can also search directly on the company website or through a job portal like FlexJobs, which vets every single listing they have on their site.
2) Cold emailing companies directly. This is an effective way to reach out to companies with whom you think you could be a great fit. But be sure that your pitch includes specific details about how your skills and experience match up with what the company needs before sending it off.
What Are the Risks of Telecommuting
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the number of people working from home at least part-time has grown by more than 50% since 2005 and that it expects this trend to continue.
Telecommuting offers many benefits: It saves money on office space and can save your employees money on gas and car maintenance, for example. It also gives you more flexibility in scheduling and gives your employees greater flexibility in their schedules.
But there are risks to telecommuting as well. The most obvious one is that you have to be disciplined and organized enough to get your work done without the support of your colleagues. This can be challenging if you’re working in a team-based environment or if you work on projects that require collaboration with others.
Another downside is that not having face-to-face interactions with your colleagues can make it hard to build relationships or have social interactions at work. And if you’re working remotely from home, it’s easy to get distracted by household tasks or other responsibilities outside of work that needs tending to, especially when there’s no one around to keep tabs on you.
The Future of Work is Here and It’s All About Telecommuting
There is an increasing awareness of the significance of work-life balance. Also, there is a need for organizations to find more productive ways to work with their employees and increase the output of the employees at minimal costs. Employers are now realizing that working from home offers numerous benefits over a traditional office setting.
More and more businesses are starting to realize the potential benefits of telecommuting. And why shouldn’t they? After all, results have shown that employees who telecommute take fewer sick days, they’re happier with their job and salary, and they tend to be more productive in their work. Even better, they can do all of this while working from home.
Ultimately, the best way to find out whether telecommuting is for you is to give it a try. If you’re lucky, like most of the people who have given it a go, you’ll find all sorts of great benefits to working from home, and you’ll never look back.
