Remote work

Extracted Attributes

• Key Benefits

  Reduced office costs, increased employee autonomy, increased job satisfaction, environmental advantages (reduced commuting), access to wider talent pool, better work-life balance, increased productivity, potential for 24/7 operation for global companies

• Applicability

  Suitable for jobs where work can be done online or on a local device; not typically suitable for jobs requiring in-person presence (e.g., sales clerk, postal worker, ER doctor, construction worker)

• Key Challenges

  Difficulty replicating face-to-face interaction, potential employee distractions, challenges in maintaining work-life balance, risk of social isolation, perceived inefficiencies, organizational bloat

• Related Concepts

  Digital nomads, coworking spaces

• Alternative Names

  telecommuting, telework, work from home (WFH), hybrid work, work from anywhere, remote job, mobile work, distance work

Timeline

• The practice of working at home has been documented for centuries. (Source: Wikipedia)

  Prior to 1970s

• Remote work for large employers began on a small scale, facilitated by technology linking satellite offices to mainframes via telephone lines. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia)

  1970s

• Remote work became more common, facilitated by internet technologies such as collaborative software on cloud computing and conference calling via videotelephony. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia)

  1990s and 2000s

• The COVID-19 pandemic catalyzed a rapid global transition to remote work for white-collar workers. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia)

  2020

• Remote work largely persisted even after restrictions were lifted, evolving into a permanent fixture of the modern workforce. (Source: Wikipedia, Web Search)

  Post-2020

• Remote work is predicted to continue growing, enabling businesses to hire global talent regardless of location, with an increased focus on employee well-being and mental health. (Source: Web Search)

  2025 (Prediction)

• AI and automation are expected to revolutionize remote work by streamlining workflows, boosting productivity, and enhancing collaboration. (Source: Web Search)

  2025 (Prediction)

Remote work

Remote work (also called telecommuting, telework, work from or at home, WFH as an initialism, hybrid work, and other terms) is the practice of working at or from one's home or another space rather than from an office or workplace. The practice of working at home has been documented for centuries, but remote work for large employers began on a small scale in the 1970s, when technology was developed which could link satellite offices to downtown mainframes through dumb terminals using telephone lines as a network bridge. It became more common in the 1990s and 2000s, facilitated by internet technologies such as collaborative software on cloud computing and conference calling via videotelephony. In 2020, workplace hazard controls for COVID-19 catalyzed a rapid transition to remote work for white-collar workers around the world, which largely persisted even after restrictions were lifted. Proponents of having a geographically distributed workforce argue that it reduces costs associated with maintaining an office, grants employees autonomy and flexibility that improves their motivation and job satisfaction, eliminates environmental harms from commuting, allows employers to draw from a more geographically diverse pool of applicants, and allows employees to relocate to a place they would prefer to live. Opponents of remote work argue that remote telecommunications technology has been unable to replicate the advantages of face-to-face interaction, that employees may be more easily distracted and may struggle to maintain work–life balance without the physical separation, and that the reduced social interaction may lead to feelings of isolation.

Web Search Results

• What Is Remote Work? Ultimate Guide | Wrike

  Wondering exactly what is working remotely? Here’s the simplest remote work meaning:Remote work describes a professional environment in which employees can work from home or any other location outside their company’s physical office. Oftentimes, that involves creating a workspace at home. However, working remotely can extend beyond the confines of your living space. [...] Broadly speaking, remote working is an option for businesses across many industries. Remote work is often accessible for businesses and job roles where the bulk of the work can be done online or on a local device. Jobs where the majority of the work is done in person (e.g., sales clerk, postal worker, ER doctor, construction worker) are not typically jobs that lend themselves to remote working. [...] For example, remote work is a popular option for “digital nomads” who spend their time working while also traveling full-time. In this case, instead of working out of a home office, they may instead work out of hotels, beach clubs, coffee shops, or even airport lounges.

• Remote Work in 2025: Trends, Challenges, and Solutions

  Image 3: A digital illustration of a person with long hair working at a desk with a cup of coffee. Illustration by MOMO Studio on Unsplash Remote work has evolved from a temporary solution during the COVID-19 pandemic into a permanent fixture of the modern workforce. In 2025, millions of professionals now work from home full-time, split their time between home and an office, or operate as digital nomads. [...] While remote work offers flexibility and freedom, it also brings a new set of challenges—from managing productivity to maintaining work-life balance. The good news? New solutions and workplace models like coworking spaces are helping professionals stay focused, connected, and efficient. In this article, we explore the key trends, common challenges, and practical solutions shaping remote work in 2025, and how individuals and companies alike can adapt for long-term success.

• Remote Work Trends: Top 10 Predictions for 2025 - Splashtop

  Remote work has dissolved traditional geographical barriers, opening the door for companies to access a diverse, global talent pool. By 2025, this trend will continue to grow, enabling businesses to hire the best talent regardless of location. Organizations are now leveraging remote work to expand their teams beyond borders, bringing together unique perspectives and expertise from different cultures. [...] ### Trend 7: Focus on Employee Well-being and Mental Health With remote work becoming more widespread, businesses are increasingly recognizing the importance of prioritizing employee well-being and mental health. By 2025, organizations will focus on creating supportive environments that foster a healthy work-life balance for their teams. Remote work, while offering flexibility, can sometimes blur boundaries between personal and professional lives, leading to stress and burnout. [...] and automation are revolutionizing remote work by streamlining workflows, boosting productivity, and enhancing collaboration. Businesses are increasingly leveraging AI tools for tasks such as scheduling, project management, and data analysis, allowing teams to focus on higher-value work.

• Remote Working and Work Effectiveness: A Leader Perspective - PMC

  Currently, remote work has become a crucial organizational tool that enables effective performance in the increasingly competitive global market. Although working outside of the office has already been available, this form of performing job duties seems mainstream in modern organizations. Due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, 14.2% of employees in Poland changed their current way of performing professional duties to a remote mode. Almost every sixth employee in the public sector and every twelfth in [...] Without a doubt, remote work has become an inherent work system, and the challenge today is to maintain or indicate maximum efficiency. Undoubtedly, the best solution is to introduce hybrid work and combine remote work with office work . It is necessary to take a closer look at the characteristics of the job in question and put in place solutions to perform tasks at their best, depending on whether it is more efficient to do them at home or in the office. So far, we know that some work is done [...] productivity, the employees were able to maintain similar or slightly lower levels of output during work from home. Besides its positive aspects [30,35], existing research indicated a number of challenges generated by remote work, such as work–home interference, ineffective communication, procrastination, and loneliness.

• 20 Advantages of Remote Working for Employees and Employers

  ‍ ### 2. Cost saving Going to work can be expensive. You’ve got travel costs, parking, lunch, coffee and snacks, birthday cakes, colleague presents, clothes for work… the list is endless. Some employers even give refreshment or clothing allowances as a benefit. Remote working saves on these expenses, which can add up to a substantial amount. This means more disposable income available for other things, which is always a good thing. [...] ### 8. Work/life balance The ability to work remotely offers a better work/life balance. Working away from the office can make you feel in control of your life and give you more time to plan both work and home tasks. This gives a sense of achievement and makes employees more productive. When working remotely: [...] In the busy world we live in time is invaluable and we never seem to have enough of it. So another of the benefits of remote working for employers is that employees will use their time more productively if they work from home. As well as less time spent traveling, working from home reduces office gossip time, lateness, and time wasted in the coffee shop. Timing is also about when a business is open. If a company employees people all over the world they can be open 24/7. ‍

Remote work, also called work from home (WFH), work from anywhere, telework, remote job, mobile work, and distance work is an employment arrangement in which employees do not commute to a central place of work, such as an office building, warehouse, or retail store. Instead, work can be accomplished in the home, such as in a study, a small office/home office and/or a telecentre. A company in which all workers perform remote work is known as a distributed company.