Beginning in early 2020, when COVID-19 shutdowns began in earnest throughout the US, many companies started to allow their employees to work remotely. This was not necessarily a gesture of goodwill to loyal workers – instead, it was an absolute necessity in order to maintain businesses through what is arguably one of the most challenging times that this country has ever faced. And while it’s true that more and more of our citizens are now getting vaccinated against the virus, the remote work phenomenon shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, an increased number of company owners and corporate management have come to realize the benefits of allowing their staff to work from home; so much so that many of them have decided to incorporate remote work as an option for employees in the long term. While it’s true that remote work may not be feasible in every industry, for some, it’s an ideal alternative to working in a traditional office setting. Some of the most common remote jobs include the following:
- Tech professionals – It probably comes as no surprise that people with technical skills would make up a large percentage of remote workers. In fact, many of these professionals worked remotely (at least on a part-time basis) long before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Software developers, program designers, cyber security specialists, cloud engineers, and a variety of IT professionals are fortunate to be involved in careers that are ideally suited for remote work.
- Customer service representatives – Another category of workers who are able to easily complete their workday tasks from virtually any location are customer service representatives. People whose primary responsibilities involve responding to customer inquiries often need only a high-speed internet connection, the appropriate computer software, and an IP phone to work comfortably from home or anywhere else.
- Salespeople – Even for salespeople who work part-time in an office location, it has always been the norm to work for at least a portion of the workweek outside of the office – visiting sales leads, conducting in-person demonstrations or presentations, etc. But in today’s business environment (thanks to IP phone technology and online video presentations, for example), it’s easier than ever for salespeople to succeed in their professions as full-time remote workers.
- Teachers and trainers – For the past several years (even prior to the pandemic), there has been a surge in online learning. Certainly throughout 2020, when so many schools turned to virtual learning as an alternative to in-class sessions, teachers and trainers alike found themselves working with their students via computer screens rather than face to face. And while it’s true that many schools have either already resumed regular classes or intend to within the next several months, the popularity of online learning and training shows no signs of slowing down.
- Administrative positions – Just because so many companies are now relying on all or a portion of their staff members to work from home doesn’t mean we don’t need our administrative assistants. Often considered by managers and company owners to be the backbone of office-based businesses, administrative personnel perform a variety of vital functions – including tasks that range from answering phones to bookkeeping to planning and scheduling to maintaining files and distributing information. All of those duties still need to be performed each and every workday. And now, thanks to high-speed internet and IP technology, all of it can be accomplished by administrative assistants who work entirely from home.
There’s no doubt that remote work will thrive throughout the coming year and well beyond. And for every one of these most common remote jobs, there is a supervisor or manager responsible for ensuring that these workers are performing their duties and being as productive as possible. That’s exactly why MySammy was developed. Our cloud-based software allows managers to accurately measure the productivity levels of their remote employees. And My Sammy is designed to be used with full knowledge of the telecommuters, so there’s never any need to invade the privacy of your remote workers. Sign up for your FREE trial of MySammy today!