The Differences Between Telework and Remote Work

Differences between Telework and Remote Work.

Telework vs remote work: a lot of people don’t know that there is a difference between the two.

This is because the two phrases are often used interchangeably, so it’s easy to confuse them as synonymous. In this article, we’ll look at the definitions of both telework and remote work, as well as their similarities and differences.

What Is Remote Work?

Remote work has become a staple phrase in our global language since the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic. Basically defined, remote work refers to the act of working from anywhere in the world.

This includes working from your home, a co-working space, or even a completely different country from your employer altogether. Most times, remote workers work from completely different or separate locations.

The only thing that matters when it comes to the remote work structure is your connection to the internet or wifi. This is how remote employees connect to their employers and colleagues to get their work done.

There is often limited proximity between different members of the company, so there aren’t many (if any) in-person meetings. That’s why staying connected online is so important for remote work.

Who Benefits Most From Remote Work?

Due to remote work’s flexibility and autonomy over your time and work-life balance, it is best suited for people who don’t or can’t commit to full-time working hours. This includes students, freelancers, digital nomads and travelers, and single parents.

What Is Telework?

Telework, unlike remote work, can involve an employee working at the office on some days. But this is not a set characteristic as a teleworker might not go to the office at all.

Also known as telecommuting, this work form is characterized by the employee’s proximity to a workplace or organization’s headquarters. They could either come into the office from time to time or just live or work close to an organized workspace. For this reason, telework fits more of a hybrid approach than remote work.

Who Benefits Most From Telework?

Teleworking is a good choice for positions or activities involving research, data analysis, reading and writing, telemarketing, and more. This gives employees the option to come in and use important equipment and facilities when they need to.

Telework vs Remote Work: What’s The Difference?

We admit that the two terms sound pretty similar. The distinctions are quite subtle. Both working approaches involve working away from the office. This includes working from home, a cafe, library, bookstore, or coworking space.

But, a distinct difference in working locations is that a teleworker often works close to a traditional office structure whereas a remote worker could be miles away.

Another similarity between telework vs remote work is that they both provide better control over your lifestyle, time, and work-life balance. They both improve flexibility.

As a teleworker, though, you may still have to touch base in person occasionally. This suits individuals with strenuous home circumstances as they can remain at work but have greater flexibility. Remote working, on the other hand, doesn’t require you to be in one location unless specified by your employer.

Deciding which option suits you comes down to what you want out of your job, your lifestyle and time commitments, and your preferred location.

As an employer, selecting the ideal approach for your business may take more consideration. This includes pondering how your employees feel, understanding the impact each work model has on productivity, and questioning whether you have the necessary structures in place to make it successful.

As a worker, it’s important to decide on your needs before committing to either remote work or a telework model. Consider whether you’d be willing to go into the office sometimes, or whether you would need to be fully remote.

Conclusion

Whether you’re an employee trying to decide which work model suits your lifestyle or an employer trying to adapt to the new normal in a way that best serves your business, both approaches have extensive benefits to offer. They both increase flexibility, provide the potential for broader and global connections, and suspend the traditional limits placed on employees by geography.

You can work from basically anywhere and your business can also operate without constraint. And these are just two out of many alternative work models developing in the world today! What an exciting time to answer the question, “Can I work from anywhere?”