Telecommuting in the United States: Everything you need to know
Although this is a growing trend, the truth is that since 2020 with the COVID-19 pandemic, teleworking in the United States and the world has grown enormously.
In many places work activities have already returned, and in this sense, teleworking is an important part. There is an increasing number of workers, either business or self-employed, who are offering remote services.
The truth is that working at home can become the future, and it may be that in a few years this will stop being something optional to become a norm.
Today we are going to talk a little about what teleworking is and all that this practice entails.
What is teleworking?
Teleworking can be simply defined as the action of working or performing your tasks from home. In a normal job, you would have to wake up each day and go to the office to work a certain number of hours.
However, with telecommuting you can work from home in a simple and comfortable way.
Teleworking not only covers those people who work for a company, but also includes those professionals who work on their own.
Although this may seem like a recent practice, the truth is that this concept has been around for a long time. However, in the last two years the growth of teleworking in the United States and the rest of the world has multiplied.
Advantages and disadvantages of teleworking
Working from home can become the dream of many people, the truth is that it is a practice that just as it has advantages, it also has its disadvantages.
Advantage
You can work from anywhere, be it from home, when you are away from home and even when you are traveling.
You will not be tied to an office all day.
It gives you a greater amount of time to be with the people you love.
Workers do not need to mobilize to go to an office, which means less pollution by not having to move their cars.
Savings in company costs, since it does not require having physical spaces enabled for employees.
The person has a certain autonomy, at least in the case of self-employment. In the event that you are an employee, you may be required to meet a schedule each day.
Disadvantages
It requires high discipline to avoid being distracted and lowering productivity.
It can lead to a sedentary lifestyle in the worker, which can lead to increased physical problems.
It can be more difficult to monitor employee performance.
Interpersonal relationships between company employees are reduced.
For some, it can be difficult to work from home, especially if you do not have the necessary knowledge.
Is it easy to find companies to telecommute?
Nowadays, finding a company that offers remote jobs is much easier than you think. Due to the pandemic, many companies have adapted to the new reality and are offering remote jobs.
However, if you are good at managing a computer, and you think you can do it, this is a good opportunity. Professionals who work on their own (freelance) tend to use telework very often.
Can I work remotely in the United States from another country?
Due to the great flexibility that telecommuting offers, it is possible to work remotely, even if you are in a different country. The internet has been able to eliminate borders, and today you can live anywhere in the world and work in the United States.
Many companies in the country, especially those related to the technology or creative sector, usually hire people from other parts of the world. The main reason for this is to save costs, as foreign labor, even online can be cheaper.
Where to find remote work in the United States?
There are different ways you can start telecommuting in the United States. Companies usually publish job offers through their websites, job portals or social networks. So one of the best ways is to keep an eye on these sites.
Another option you have if you want to work from home is to register on freelance websites.
Websites like Frelancer, Workana or Upwork have thousands of job offers for freelancers. So if you have a profession as a graphic designer, programmer, writer or the like, you can try your luck on this site.
Tips to start telecommuting
There are several things you need to keep in mind in order to get off to a good start. In addition, these tips will help you to have the maximum possible performance.
Create a quiet and adequate space : It is important that you create a pleasant and adequate space for you to carry out your work. This place should be quiet and have as few distractions as possible.
Set a schedule : The best way to perform better when working from home is by setting a schedule. It is important that you adhere to this schedule to the letter, remember that as an independent worker you can work at the time you want.
Discipline is the key : When teleworking it is very important that you be disciplined. There is no use working from home if you are not organized, and you are not able to finish your tasks properly.
Exercise : The main enemy of people who work from home is a sedentary lifestyle. Lack of physical activity can bring a lot of problems to your health.
Do not isolate yourself : Some people when they start remote work tend to isolate themselves and withdraw from family members even worse than if they worked in a physical way. The schedules will help you to have enough time to spend with your family and work.