This story originally appeared on FlexJobs.com.
Ask any remote worker, and they’ll likely list off several myths about working from home that they’ve encountered.
Keep reading as we cover a few of the common myths about working from home, and determining the truth about remote workers.
1. Remote Workers Aren’t Productive
The Truth: Naysayers often have visions of remote workers watching TV or completing household chores instead of getting work done, but studies show that this perception is incorrect.
Having a micromanaging boss hover over you doesn’t mean that you’ll get more work done. Instead, when goals are clearly communicated, workers know what is expected of them and feel empowered to perform to the best of their capabilities, whether they are in an office or not.
2. Remote Work Requires a Lot of Tech Support or Special Equipment
The Truth: Most remote workers use regular desktops or laptops purchased in a retail store.
Sure, they may utilize particular apps or software specific to their industry, but apart from having a fast internet connection, the only must-have items a remote worker really needs would be furniture, like an ergonomic chair and desk.
3. It’s Hard to Stay Connected
The Truth: Sure, working remotely means that you’re not going to bump into co-workers around the water cooler. But it certainly doesn’t mean that remote workers are unreachable.
Part of being a successful remote employee means sharing your schedule with your boss and co-workers, so people always know when you’re online and reachable and when you’re not. There’s also email, IM, and video chat to help you stay connected to your team and to enable clear communication, no matter where everyone’s located.
4. My Job Isn’t Suitable for Working at Home
The Truth: It’s true that some jobs require you to be on-site, but there may be parts of your job that you can do remotely.
So look for areas in your job where you perform desk duty — those responsibilities can be done from home. All it would take is for you to restructure your workweek to have one day (or more) when you are strictly doing paperwork in order to allow you to work from home.
5. Everyone Loves (or Hates) Remote Work
The Truth: While everyone can benefit from working from home, not everyone is suited for it — or wants it. While there are traits that make for great remote workers, not everyone likes working at home.
Some individuals are happier being around other people, and others need to have their bosses present in order to get work done. But many employers still offer remote work options to employees who are looking for a better work-life balance.
6. Every Day Is PJ Day
The Truth: Another one of the common remote work myths is that remote workers spend all day lounging about in their pajamas. While it’s true that a dress code doesn’t usually apply when working from home, top remote workers know that changing into regular clothing will signal a start to the workday and will help them feel more productive.
Dressing to impress in a work-from-home environment might not involve a business suit, but plenty of remote workers dress in business casual to prepare for a successful workday.
7. It’s Not a Real Job
The Truth: Remote jobs are available at all ends of the spectrum, ranging from entry-level to executive positions. Remote jobs can be freelance, or they can be full-time jobs with all the same benefits as an in-office gig.
In fact, FlexJobs has over 50 different job categories with remote job openings. Every day we hear from successful FlexJobs members who find remote work in a wide variety of industries. Remote job offerings in every career area will likely continue to grow with technological advances and more open attitudes towards remote working.
8. You’ll Never Know Your Co-Workers
The Truth: It may seem that working from home is a lonely venture, with little human interaction throughout the day. While that may be true at times (and even desired by some introverted workers), a lot of remote jobs are collaborative and require frequent interaction with co-workers via email, instant message, video chats, etc.
Just like an office job, remote workers are often required to attend meetings, and some companies offer virtual social activities for remote employees as well.
9. There’s No Accountability
The Truth: It can be a myth that remote workers don’t have as much accountability, and there’s no way to know if they’re completing their work. Just because you can’t physically see a remote worker doesn’t mean they aren’t producing, though. And if a company is successful in objectively measuring goals and results, they should focus on outcomes instead of physical presence.
10. Work-From-Home Jobs Are Scams
The Truth: Easily one of the most common remote work myths is that all work-from-home jobs are scams or are only available for very entry-level, specific jobs. The truth is that legitimate work-from-home jobs are available in a variety of career fields and at every professional level.
At FlexJobs, we review and screen every job on our website, so you can find legitimate jobs and enjoy a scam-free search experience.
Disclosure: The information you read here is always objective. However, we sometimes receive compensation when you click links within our stories.
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