The Benefits of Remote Work: Why It’s More Desirable

The culture around remote work has shifted greatly within the last few years. What was once thought to be something people only did if they were self-employed or freelancers has since grown to capture all types of industries, roles, and experience levels—including roles that don’t require a degree.

In fact, a study by Buffer indicated that 98% of respondents expressed interest in working remotely, at least some of the time, or for the rest of their careers. At SkillUp, we’ve found some reasons why it’s still growing, both from our user base and personal experience.

SkillUp’s Remote Careers Survey

Our data analytics team recently surveyed over 500 SkillUp users who had been actively searching for remote jobs in the first half of 2024. We also surveyed over 2,000 people who were focusing their job search on non-remote roles.

Of those surveyed, people who were actively using SkillUp to look for remote jobs were 27% more likely to start a new or better job than their peers who were looking for a traditional, office-based job.

A few other things we learned from our research about looking for remote work with SkillUp include:

• SkillUp users with remote jobs reported a wage increase of $12,843
• Over 50% reported receiving health benefits, PTO, on-the-job training and a flexible schedule
• 70% have a full-time job
• 74% do not hold a college degree

Why Remote Work?

The world of remote work has continued to grow with time, barring a temporary surge and decline during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. More and more jobs have remote capabilities, and more people continue utilizing them. But, why?

Benefits of Remote Work for Employees

Even after the COVID-19 pandemic caused remote jobs to peak, there has been a consistent push from employees for remote roles. Who can blame them? There are plenty of reasons why employees love remote work, including:

• Flexibility: Remote workers love the freedom they get from being able to work from home. Because they don’t have to worry about getting special permission to take care of their home life as well as their work life, many employees have higher job satisfaction.
• Cost savings: Commutes are expensive! Gas isn’t getting any cheaper, and since so many people end up eating out for lunch with coworkers, expenses can add up.
• Time savings: Commutes also take a long time—not everyone can live down the street from the office. However, by cutting your commute time to the 30 seconds it takes to get to your at-home office, you can get a lot more work done without having to get into your car.
• Work-life balance: Remote work offers a better work-life balance, so it’s easier to take proper care of your pets, bring kids to doctor’s appointments, and get more family time when you’re done with work for the day.
• Accessibility: Some people prefer living in rural areas, but these areas don’t always have in-person opportunities for job growth.

Benefits of Remote Work for Employers

However, working remotely doesn’t only benefit the employee. Some of the perks that apply to employers include:

• Broadened talent pool: When you offer in-person positions exclusively, you limit your potential pool of qualified candidates to people who can make the commute to your office.
• Productivity: Many people find they’re more productive in remote roles because there are fewer disruptions. With fewer people popping into each other’s offices, employees can get more work done and work on the projects that help your company thrive.
• Lower carbon footprint: Offices take up a lot of energy to operate and keep the lights on—and energy bills to go with them. Between that and requiring employees to commute by car or public transportation, many companies have gigantic carbon footprints. However, by eliminating the need for a commute and an established office space, you can eliminate the need to pay for energy consumption in an in-person office.
• Happier employees: Between the better sense of work-life balance and eliminated time in transit, employee satisfaction tends to skew higher for remote jobs.

Are Remote Jobs Hard to Get?

They can seem more challenging to get, especially if you’re looking for jobs that are open to candidates nationwide. However, remote jobs are attainable and becoming more and more of a possibility, especially if you prepare yourself and your resume. Some steps we recommend taking include:

• Show your capabilities: If the role you’re looking for is one requiring a portfolio of past work, make sure yours showcases the best and brightest. The same goes for projects you may have done previously.
• Highlight relevant experience: Have you taken online courses where you were able to keep up with the workload? Did one of your past employers offer the ability to occasionally work from home? Highlight this in your cover letter or resume so you can show you have the discipline to work remotely.
• Do your research: Start on the About page of the company you’re trying to apply to and let that be your launching point. Use it to find out about the company’s culture and values. For extra credit, if they have a blog—read it. This will tell you more about the company because it’s the face of the brand.
• Prepare for the remote interview: The remote interview is a separate art you need to master if you’re looking for a remote role. Set yourself up with a quiet interview space with good lighting and acoustics. Make sure to look into the camera, and that your entire face is visible rather than just your forehead.
• Put in the effort: Just like hunting for in-person jobs, the remote job hunt is practically a full-time job in its own right. Network with your former colleagues and friends to inquire about remote job openings.

Full-Time Remote Jobs Available with SkillUp

Thousands of people use SkillUp to find full-time entry-level remote jobs and roles that match their skill set and provide a livable wage. We’re dedicated to posting jobs that are full-time and don’t require a college degree, and we always make sure the jobs we post have a living wage.

“We do a lot of frequent cleanups with our job catalog,” said Jason Cheng, Senior Vice President of Product and Analytics. “We take off filled positions as quickly as possible and update other information. Hopefully, users will get a sense of quality and rigorousness.”

Here are a few of the most common job openings people find on SkillUp to kickstart their new careers.

Software Tester

Software testers conduct automated and manual tests to ensure software works as intended and remove any bugs or other problems before it’s published. These testers allow software to work better and get into people’s hands faster.

Graphic Designers

Graphic design experts create images and graphics to meet commercial or promotional needs, such as logos, advertisements, or packaging. Many use digital programs like Adobe Illustrator to create original, striking images that help brands get in front of customers.

Sales Representatives

SkillUp connects people with wholesale and manufacturing sales positions, except for technical and scientific products. With the industry becoming increasingly digital, more and more sales professionals can work remotely to help their companies grow.

Human Resources Specialists

Human resources specialists help companies and employees work better together. HR specialists help with hiring initiatives and make it easier for companies to attain good employee satisfaction, among other benefits.

Why Use SkillUp to Find Legitimate Remote Jobs

These numbers tell the story—SkillUp is a great way to find new, better jobs that are legitimate and don’t require you to get a college degree or have decades of experience.

“We’re extremely conscientious about the jobs we put on our site,” said Cheng. “Our strategy and operations team also vets the career paths we offer to make sure they pay a living wage.”