The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a shift in working strategy for most businesses. The new normal saw most companies moving to full-time remote working or partial remote working. Results from a survey done by Upwork in 2020 revealed that 56.8% of the American workforce was working remotely. If you’re looking for a new job and wish to work from home, read on to learn the factors behind whether a job can be done remotely.
Little to no need for physical interaction
One thing you should consider when looking for a job that can be done remotely is the nature of the job and the level of interaction or supervision it may require with co-workers or clients. If there is a need for constant interaction, then the next question you should be asking is whether the form of interaction needs to be physical or whether it can be virtual. Some jobs that require little to no physical interaction or supervision include customer service, blogging, and digital marketing.
Most decisions made by you
Due to the minimal need for supervision with remote jobs, individuals often find themselves making most of the decisions on the job. Remote jobs not only require taking ownership of certain tasks but also the decisions that often come along with those tasks. Looking at the case of a customer service representative, when they speak to customers, assisting them with their queries, they’re required to proffer solutions on the call and may need to make those decisions on their own.
Technology necessary component
A good percentage of remote jobs make use of at least one IT tool. If technology is not needed to carry out the task, it will be needed to send communication to either a client, team members, or both. Without enough technological know-how and tools, it won’t be possible to work remotely. The Internet is necessary with remote jobs, as it allows employers, employees and clients to communicate virtually. For a remote job like virtual chat agents, the Internet is the entire essence of the job.
Paperless
When most of the workflow of the job is digitized, this requires little to no need for physical documentation. Once processes such as invoicing, contracting or archiving have been digitalized, it’s a big indication that the job can be done remotely. An example of such a remote job is transcription, where files are digitally saved and shared.
No Physical Exertion
If your intended job requires you to spend more time in front of a PC or anything that requires a large dose of sitting and not physically exerting energy, then it can most likely be done remotely. In the case of a customer care agent, more time is spent speaking to customers via a chat interface or over a call than doing anything physical. This is different from a job such as a carpenter or a builder that is much more physical in nature. Such a job would be impossible to do remotely.
Conclusion
If the job you are considering meets the requirements above, it means you can work from anywhere and that the job can most likely be done remotely. Any jobs that turn up in your job search, will most likely be advertised with the elements mentioned above. If you’re still unsure whether you can do the job at home or another remote location, check with the potential employer.