The main difference between remote work and telework is that in remote work, employees can live anywhere in the globe, whereas in telework, employees have to live somewhat close to the office building.
Both remote work and telework allow workers to work outside their office environment. With these methods, employees can work from home, a library, or a coffee shop, and they can communicate with other employees and employers using video conferencing, instant messaging, and email. Also, they can select remote work or telework based on their lifestyle and responsibilities.
Key Areas Covered
1. What is Remote Work
– Features, Features, Benefits
2. What is Telework
– Features, Features
3. Difference Between Remote Work and Telework
– Comparison of Key Differences
Key Terms
Remote Work, Telework
What is Remote Work
Remote work is a system where the employee is not expected to report to the worksite regularly. Remote work is flexible because employees do not go to the office to work. This allows employees to work from any remote place as long as there is a stable internet connection. They enjoy flexibility in how they log on to the internet and complete their work.
Moreover, they can work from home, a library, a coffee shop, or any place in the world. These places do not have to be located near the physical offices, and in some cases, there are no physical office places at all since all the employees work remotely. Therefore, this method is ideal for travelers, students, and those who find unable to work according to standard job hours. The workers rarely meet or never meet in person at all. But they work closely with people in that organization.
Remote work also helps them to engage in their other duties and responsibilities with flexibility. This usually follows the asynchronous method, especially if there are workers from around the globe. This means that they do not have to instantly reply to messages or calls or be online at the same period.
Some advantages of remote work include a diverse and global talent pool, fewer expenses, a focus not on time but on the outcome, and the creation of a happy and more balanced workforce.
What is Telework
Telework refers to working outside the regular in-site environment. This method is synchronous because while working, employers should maintain contact with their colleagues during normal working hours. In this way, you can build a healthy connection with your fellow workers. The employers do not have to be in the same time zone, yet staying in the same time zone is easier.
In this method, sometimes office attendance is necessary so being close to the physical office is convenient for the employees. Telework is ideal for jobs related to research, writing, reading, data analysis, computer work, and telemarketing.
Difference Between Remote Work and Telework
Definition
Remote work is a system where the employee is not expected to report to the worksite regularly, while telework is working outside the regular in-site environment using various modern communication technologies.
Working Hours
Generally, working hours are not fixed in remote work, but telework involves regular business hours in the employer’s time zone.
Type of Communication
Remote work mainly involves asynchronous communication, whereas telework involves synchronous communication.
Location
In remote work, employees can live anywhere in the globe, whereas in telework, employees have to live somewhat close to the office building.
Reporting to the Office
In remote work, employees do not have to report to the main office, but in telework, employees might have to report to the office on some days.
Conclusion
Remote work is a system where the employee is not expected to report to the worksite regularly. In this practice, employees can work from any location in the globe. Their official workstation is the place they chose to work. Telework refers to working outside the regular in-site environment. Sometimes, employees have to report to the office because their official duty station is their office building, so it is easy for them to live close to it. Thus, this is the main difference between remote work and telework.
Reference:
1. “Remote Work.” Wikipedia. Wikipedia Foundation.
2. “What is Teleworking?” Mitel.
3. “The Complete Guide to Telecommuting.” WorkfromHome 101.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Woman in Grey Jacket Sits on Bed Uses Grey Laptop” (CC0) via Pexels
2. “Woman in Red Long Sleeve Shirt Looking At Her Laptop” (CC0) via Pexels
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