How to Work from Home

All you really need to do to work from home is a reliable internet connection and computer. Additionally, you’ll want to set up a home office. There are so many legitimate jobs today that are home-based, and many established companies are starting to offer work from home positions. 

Working from home is becoming more and more common with the rise of technology. It’s no longer necessary for corporations to have a enormous office complexes with a large in-house team. 

How to Find Legitimate Work from Home Jobs

The first part of finding a remote job is assessing whether you want to be remote part time or full time. As we reported in our article ‘The Rise of The Gig Economy’ there is a growing list of companies and websites focused on helping job-seekers find remote work. The best work at home jobs for you will depend on your skill set, interests, and situation in life.  We recommend assessing your goals and objectives, then identifying the positions best suited for you that match.

Best paying work from home jobs

Finding a high remote paying job has limitations. You will not be able to perform remote work where you need to be in front of a client or a machine regularly, but you will be able to find remote work for jobs performed behind the scenes that leverage technology. Below are the top 5 positions from an Indeed  article covering “Work From Home Jobs That Pay Well.”

• Graphic Designer
• Blogger
• Recruiting Specialist
• Translator
• Freelance Editor

Best work from home jobs for moms

Moms have additional considerations when looking for work from home jobs. They may be reentering the workforce while watching the kids, maintaining a the household, and not always available from 9 to 5. To accommodate that, below are five popular jobs for moms in 2019:

• Medical Transcriptionist
• Freelance Writing
• Social Media Marketing
• Health Coaching
• Online Tutor

Benefits of Working Remotely

Over the last decade, both employees and employers have come to recognize that there are benefits to working remotely. Benefits for employers can include employee retention, greater productivity, and if implemented correctly, increases to their bottom line. Employees see benefits in different ways; they report being happier, healthier and more focused on their work. We examine in detail the benefits of working remotely and the current state of remote work in.

Benefits of Working from Home for Employers

Employers realize that there are many benefits of hiring remote workers. With technology infrastructures that support mobility in already in place, such as Skype, companies can leverage existing functionality to allow employees the opportunity to work remote.

• Employee Benefits – Companies can now use “remote” days as a benefit for existing and new employees. Programs include one day home per week or five days home per month.
• Office Space – Reducing daily head counts in the office, or eliminating them, can reduce overhead expenditures. Commercial real estate is a significant expense for companies. Providing employees with the flexibility to, or even requiring them to work remote, allows companies to think creatively about office space.
• Employee Talent Pool – Creating opportunities to work remote 80%-100% of the time allows employers to recruit from all over the country. No longer is it a requirement for them to maintain offices in expensive locations such as San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington DC. Instead, they can recruit, hire, and onboard remotely and arrange for in-person meetings as needed.

Valid reasons to work from home

In the beginning, working from home carried a negative perception. Managers envisioned their employees being unreachable, distracted, and non-productive. Without departmental policies to support them, they were reluctant to approve remote days. However, times have changed. Employees have become more adept in identifying the benefits of working from home, and employers have listened. Flex Jobs, a site for finding “best remote, part-time, freelance” jobs, outlined nine benefits to working from home, we examine three of our favorites, below:

1. Save Money they reported an annual savings of $4,600 per year for full-time commuters
2. More Productive, 66% of people interviewed indicated they were more productive from home
3. Being Healthy, respondents reported less commute time and being at home; they were more successful in exercising and eating better.

How to Ask Your Boss to Work from Home

Not every manager is open to working from home options. The best method for getting approval is to structure your request in a way that outlines how your manager will benefit. LinkedIn outlined a few benefits to try mentioning in your request:

• Deeper, more productive work, as a result of less distraction
• More hours worked, as a result of less commuting time
• Offer a trade-off, such as less of another perk or benefit in exchange for remote options

Request for work from home due to personal reasons

Life happens. Every once and a while you will need to work at home for a legitimate reason. Perhaps you are caring for someone, have a personal appointment, or something happening at home you need to be present for. We recommend writing a detailed e-mail to your manager to formalize the request, with specific (but not personal) details.

Work from home email to manager

There are numerous ways to write a request to work from home. When requesting, be mindful of the following; your reasoning, company policy, your manager’s philosophy on remote work, time of year, how you will spend the time, deadlines, and more. Below is a simple draft of an e-mail that can serve as a template for a work from home request.

Notice the format – it is succinct, we outline how we have not wasted the opportunity previously, achieved positive results, and then outline what we intend to accomplish. It also provides the manager with the reassurance you will be accessible to them and your colleagues despite not being in the office.

Working from home can open a entirely new world of possibilities. No longer do you need to worry about sitting in traffic, gas prices, and extensive travel times. The first step in working from home is to have a great professional resume that clearly showcases your experience, skills, and the value you bring and show that you’re more than capable of working remotely.

Maria Gold is a Content Manager/Writer for Empire Resume. She is dedicated to helping educate people with the latest career articles and job search advice. When Maria is not working, she enjoys reading and spending quality time with her family.

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