Flexible working is a big thing these days, allowing people to fit their working lives around their home lives. This is the ultimate in balance, and something we should all be trying to achieve, in a way which suits our own individual needs.
Whilst some people certainly prefer the routine of working within a regular office environment, with their own office furniture and colleagues they see every working day, other people thrive away from the main office space. Once upon a time we had no choice in terms of how we worked - we went to work, we sat at our desks and we did what we had to do, going home when the clock struck 5pm, or whatever time you were supposed to leave. These days there is a world of choice - wonderful indeed!
Whilst you can choose to request part time working, full time, annualised hours, job sharing and other specific flexible working choices, two of the most popular remain home working and remote working.
Because these two types of working look quite similar, it’s important to know the differences. There are subtle nuances between them which make them stand apart, and by understanding them in their entirety, you can decide which is best for you, if indeed, either.
What is Home Working?
Home working is literally what it says on the tin - you work from home. You can do this either all the time or part of the time, depending upon the arrangement you have with your employer.
This means you need to set up a comfortable and supportive home office, perhaps with a modular office desk which can be moved around easily. Whilst you don’t 100% have to have a home office, it’s certainly better than sitting on the sofa or in bed. This might sound like a dream, but it’s a recipe for a sore back and neck.
Working from home is ideal for many different types of people, including parents, those who have to look after someone in their family, or anyone who simply doesn’t like the morning commute! Your reasons for working from home are personal to you, but you need to ensure that you have a quality Internet connection, that you communicate with the office on a regular basis, and perhaps visit the office occasionally to stay up to date with developments.
Whilst a home worker can be a freelancer who has several different clients, they are more likely to be employed by one specific workplace and simply do their work from home, rather than the office environment.
What is Remote Working?
The fact that remote working has the word ‘remote’ in the title is where the confusion comes in. Remote workers may work from home some of the time, but they are more likely to move around. A remote worker is sometimes referred to as a ‘digital nomad’, particularly if they are travelling whilst working and moving from place to place on a regular basis.
The main difference here is that remote workers are far less likely to need to set up a home office and buy office chairs, because they’re never really in one place long enough. This may be the case however if the remote worker has periods of travel, combined with periods of working at home.
The equipment requirements are exactly the same as a home worker; that means a laptop or tablet with keyboard, reliable Internet connection and communication on a regular basis with their place of employment. There can be some pitfalls associated with remote working, but they can be overcome with a little careful planning.
Remote workers aren’t always privy to the same employment benefits as home workers, and it completely depends upon the arrangement with the workplace. Many businesses recruit remote workers online, perhaps on freelancing websites, and that means they pay only for the work they do, and not sick pay, holiday pay, etc. Remote workers can also be freelancers, e.g. working for several clients at any one time.
Now you know the differences between the two, which is best for you?