Remote work is becoming more and more common. Businesses all over the world are starting to see that remote work not only benefits their employees, but it can also benefit the business. In fact, many businesses – Buffer and Automattic, to name a couple – are fully remote. Their teams collaborate virtually to complete all tasks for the business, from customer service to back-end programming. Remote work trends are consistently showing that working from home has a lot to offer employees.
If you’re considering whether remote work is for you or if you should ask your boss about the possibility of remote working, you’ll want to keep reading. I’ve gathered up some of the top remote work trends 2020 is already seeing. Some of these statistics and trends in remote work might be just what you need to bite the bullet and convince your boss to let you work from home. After all, one of the most significant benefits of remote work is having more time for the kids and family!
Remote Work Trends in 2020 You Should Know About
The below remote working statistics and trends are current for 2020. The face of the traditional job is shifting as we get new technology and learn how to use it to our advantage. These trends prove that working from home might just be the best way to do your job (just in case you still needed to be convinced).
Photo by Paige Cody on Unsplash
Many of the fastest-growing jobs are remote-friendly.
LinkedIn’s 2020 Emerging Jobs Report lists some of the fastest-growing jobs in 2020. Not surprisingly, many of these jobs are ones that you could absolutely do in a remote environment. Here’s a look at some of the top emerging jobs as reported by LinkedIn:
- Data scientist
- Customer success specialist
- Back end developer
- JavaScript developer
- Product owner
- Behavioral health technician
Many of these job positions aren’t yet overwhelmingly remote, but there’s no reason they can’t be. Some of them are already heading into more remote territory. Behavioral health technicians, for example, sometimes work from remote offices to provide therapy to patients or develop treatment plans with other specialists.
Many work-from-homers get to choose their own schedules.
Remote work doesn’t always mean total flexibility in how and when you work. When you work for an employer, you’re under its jurisdiction. Your boss can determine what hours you need to be available for work. However, the trend is starting to shift into more employee-focused territory.
According to a Buffer survey, 40% of remote workers said that their biggest reason for wanting to work remotely, proving that at least that many remote workers get to choose their schedule to an extent.
Remote workers are willing to get paid less to work at home.
The OWL Labs State of Remote Work 2019 report found that 34% of respondents would take a pay cut of 5% if they had the chance to work from home. This may not sound that tempting to you, but think about it. If you can afford the pay cut, it could give you a little wiggle room in negotiations.
I do want to point out, though, that you need to consider the expenses that come with working from home. If you’re using your own equipment and internet to work, then you’re already losing income technically. Make sure everything that your employer provides everything you need for your job if you’re going to consider a pay cut.
Remote side gigs trump on-site part-time jobs.
If you need a flexible schedule that a full-time job can’t give you, a part-time job may do the trick. But part-time jobs often don’t pay the income you’d need to make ends meet, which is why it’s common to have two or three part-time jobs instead of one.
Now, imagine you have to drive to get to each part-time job and work with your bosses to figure out scheduling. It can get overwhelming and time-consuming quickly. But remote part-time gigs – like rideshare driving, transcription work, or freelance writing – let you navigate your own schedule in a way that makes sense for you.
Remote work leads to productivity.
Remote workers feel more productive and their bosses notice a rise in productivity with even a few work from home days each month. According to the OWL Labs State of Remote Work 2019 report, 24% of people who work remotely even just once a month feel more productive and happier. How awesome is that?
Many remote workers feel less distracted in their home office.
When you create your office space, you define a space that meets your work needs. The perfect office space looks different for everyone. But chances are, if you’re in a cubicle, you’re not going to have access to your dream space that boosts your productivity and gives you laser focus.
In fact, an Airtasker study had 15% of its respondents report that their boss consistently distracted them from work. Udemy and Toluna noted that other office distractions that seriously interfere with productivity include chatty coworkers, meetings, and office noise. You won’t have any of that in your home office (unless your chatty coworkers are your kids, of course).
Don’t forget – the home office isn’t the only place you can work remotely and still feel focused and productive. Try these other remote-friendly workplaces for a change of scenery once in a while.
Remote work is feeling just as collaborative as in-person work.
Virtual meetings have come a long way. It’s now possible to host or participate in an online meeting and walk away with the same information you’d get from an in-office meeting. With tools like Zoom, Slack, and Asana, it’s never been easier to collaborate with those you work with without needing to drive to the office and take more time out of your day. You can even use Dropbox to share and edit files with private links for your team’s eyes only.
Looking for remote work? Check out my Remote Jobs for Moms series that outlines some of the best jobs moms can do from their home office (or wherever you choose to work!). Then, leave a comment below letting me know what your primary reasons are for wanting to work from home.
Amy is a mom of two, freelance writer, and blog manager who works with family-focused businesses to improve their content strategies. You can find her published work on Reader’s Digest Online, MSN, Niche, Frugal For Less, and other lifestyle publications.