What sets freelancers apart from regular office workers? Unlike conventional job scenarios, freelancers, escaping the confines of the traditional office space, have the freedom to choose the project they wish to work on. They can opt for remote work, onsite work, or a hybrid mix of both.
Let’s compare the pros and cons of each work style and find out what best fits your professional needs as a modern office worker stepping into the freelance world.
Remote vs. Onsite vs. Hybrid Work
| Onsite Work
Onsite work refers to the traditional office setup where employees commute to a fixed location to work. It was and continues to be, a common work practice adopted by many companies pre-pandemic and even today.
Benefits of Onsite Work
One major advantage of onsite work lies in its ease of collaboration. Having various departments and their members physically present in the same space can facilitate smoother communication.
This means within a single project, meetings, follow-ups, and coordination among colleagues are more streamlined, promoting efficient schedule management.
[Tips] Are you an office worker just starting out?
For newbie freelancers involved in collaborative projects such as developers and designers, an onsite work setup could be helpful.
Choose onsite projects that allow you to understand the team’s workflow and enable effective communication and collaboration with your colleagues.
Drawbacks of Onsite Work?
Onsite work, by definition, implies commuting to the office, which could be a potential drawback. Many professionals, now accustomed to remote work due to the COVID-19 pandemic, consider commuting a disadvantage of onsite work.
The millennials and Gen Z workers prefer not to waste time and energy commuting, favoring an approach where they can focus on their tasks without compromising their work-life balance.
The Disadvantages of In-Office Work
In-office work, or permanent employment, implies the necessity of commuting to and from a physical location. With the ongoing pandemic, many have become accustomed to working remotely and identify commuting as one of the major drawbacks of office-based employment.
This is especially true for the MZ generation who would rather devote their time and energy to maintaining productivity and work-life balance, rather than wasting it on unnecessary commute.
| Remote Work
On the other hand, remote work allows you to perform your tasks from home or any location without the need to commute to a physical office. However, the rules governing remote work can vary across different companies.
In some cases, remote work can involve working from a different country or continent, irrespective of the physical distance from the employer.
In other situations, it might be confined to the same country or region, allowing the employees to work from home. Thus, job seekers need to verify the terms and conditions of remote work during their hiring process.
Advantages of Remote Work
There are several benefits to remote work, but the most significant one is achieving a better work-life balance. Eliminating the commute gives you the freedom to manage your time more efficiently, enabling a more productive work schedule.
This means you can avoid the stress caused by commuting, increase your sleep time, invest in self-improvement activities like exercise or meditation, or even allocate more time for family.
Certain roles like developers or designers that don’t necessarily require in-person attendance can thrive under this setup. It is also not uncommon to find freelancers indulging in a “workation“, combining work with vacation time.
A Tip for Freelancers Who Prefer Freedom
The main advantage of remote work is the freedom to work when and where you want. The concept of “month living” or “workation” has been receiving attention, especially from the MZ generation who values work-life balance.
This mode of working is popular among job roles like developers and designers where face-to-face interaction is not crucial. As long as you can create a conducive environment for work, it is entirely possible!
If you dream of becoming a “digital nomad”, traveling while working, then remote work is the choice for you.
It’s not all roses. Having the autonomy to work at your own pace also means carrying a greater responsibility. To maintain productivity and deliver results without the supervision of a team or colleagues, you need to create a conducive work environment.
This could mean having a dedicated workspace at home(or wherever you choose to work) and equipping it with the necessary remote work tools.
Furthermore, to collaborate effectively with colleagues without face-to-face interaction, you need to be proficient in using collaboration tools such as office messengers, video conferencing tools, project management apps, etc. If your computer skills are lacking, remote work might pose a challenge.
Other drawbacks include the feeling of isolation that some employees experience while working remotely, leading them to prefer working in an office with colleagues. Lastly, remote work may not be feasible for certain job roles and thus, not an option for everyone.
Both in-office and remote work have their pros and cons. Some people may prefer in-office work while others prefer remote work.
“So, do we have to choose between in-office and remote work?”
The answer is no!
Many companies, both in our country and overseas, have adopted a “hybrid system” as an alternative. This allows employees to maintain their remote work while also spending a certain amount of time in the office!
Embracing Hybrid Work: The New Working Paradigm
Hybrid work represents the combination of two or more functions or elements. It’s a compromise that merges the benefits of remote and on-site work.
This fusion is becoming a new paradigm in the work environment. Think of it as the sum of remote work and in-office work.
Companies exist that permit remote work but require team members to come into the office for a certain period when necessary. There are also organizations that regulate the number of in-office days per week or month.
This hybrid work model can alleviate companies’ risk associated with fully remote work and minimize employee resistance when full-time on-site work is required. It’s currently being implemented primarily in IT sectors and large corporations worldwide.
Pros of Hybrid Work
“Hybrid work includes freedom not only of place but also of different time zones and schedules.”
– Brian Kropp, Vice President of Gartner
As a compromise combining the perks of remote and on-site work, the advantages of hybrid work are clear. It provides the freedom to work in the most efficient space at the most convenient time, and because part of the work is done in the office, it offers both work efficiency and life satisfaction.
For example, even if your role doesn’t require constant on-site presence, part of the job may need face-to-face collaboration. These parts can be managed by going to the office to work with colleagues or attend client meetings.
During the rest of the time, you can use collaboration tools to work at your own pace, maximizing your efficiency. It’s a work method that aims to achieve the best results and satisfaction in your career and personal life based on autonomy.
Cons of Hybrid Work
The downside of hybrid work is that it can lead to disparities among employees in terms of access to information, speaking rights, and participation.
For instance, within the same team, some members may work remotely while others work from the office. Those working on-site can access company information and resources more easily and get help from colleagues whenever they encounter technical difficulties.
They also ensure visibility within the organization, increasing their chances of being recognized for the same performance.
Therefore, technological and systematic support from the company, such as using collaboration tools, is essential to ensure fairness among employees regardless of their work method.
Exploring the Hybrid Work Trend
An increasing number of IT sectors and large corporations worldwide are supporting hybrid work by introducing flexible methods. These include allowing employees to choose between coming to the office a few times a week or working remotely full-time for certain periods.
Are you a freelancer who values freedom but also sees the necessity of office collaboration and relationship building?
The trend toward the hybrid model is growing, especially within the IT sector and large corporations.
If you are a freelancer who prefers working freely but thinks that collaboration with colleagues and forming bonds are also essential, consider choosing a project with a hybrid work method.
It provides the opportunity to obtain necessary information from team members while freely working remotely.
Secure Your Preferred Project with Elancer
As a freelancer, you can choose the most suitable method among on-site, remote work, or hybrid projects with Elancer!
Secure your desired project on Elancer, an IT freelancer platform partnered with top verified companies.
