We live in a world of ones and zeros and are experiencing social change that incorporates emerging digital tech, making life better for us all. Work is an integral aspect of life, we have to make enough money to sustain our chosen lifestyle, yet more and more Aussies are working from home, which brings with it many benefits.
Freedom and independence
Why work for an employer when you can go freelance? If your skillsets can be delivered via the web, you no longer need to be directly employed.
Occupations that work remotely include:
- Accounting & bookkeeping
- Law
- Healthcare
- Sports and Fitness
- Engineering design
- Teaching
- Consultants
- IT-related – cyber-security, web development, digital marketing
- E-commerce
- Sales and marketing
Working remotely opens many doors; you can travel (become a digital nomad) and work from any location; all you need is a stable web connection. If you have the right TV wall mount, you can use the flat TV as a monitor and manage your work while moving around the house.
Directly employed remote employees
Many large companies see the huge savings in office management when employees work remotely; generally speaking, if it is not regarded as necessary to work at the company facility, most employers are happy for you to come in once a week and keep in touch with VoIP calls. If there is only a skeleton staff at the office, running costs are drastically reduced, while the business is not impacted in any way.
E-commerce
You probably know a few people who sell products online; success is never a given; rather you need to do some serious market research to find a good product line. Once you have the right products, digital marketing will drive traffic to your e-store and in our opinion, without SEO, you are never going to make it big. Optimise your site for Google and insert the right keywords and phrases that a search engine will notice. Write a business plan and be meticulous, playing devil’s advocate, looking for potential issues and be prepared to invest in SEO and other online marketing strategies. Click here for how to generate a strong online presence for a small business.
Real time video calls
Working remotely would be difficult if we didn’t have Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), which gives us real-time video; top platforms include Zoom and Skype for Business, which empower collaboration and allow managers to maintain essential contact. When you make a VoIP call, you are not using traditional telecom corporations, you know, the ones that charge by the minute; Internet telephony is very affordable and your connection is secure while you have many powerful features such as online whiteboard, file sharing and group meetings.
The digital nomad is a new breed of entrepreneur; a professional who puts their work ahead of everything and always makes their deadlines. Self-employment numbers are on the rise, as more directly employed people enjoy the freedom that comes with freelancing.