It comes as no surprise that more than 70 percent of all working people across the globe work online from home at least once a week. The bulk of these people are engaged with online jobs that do not require them to attend an office.

People working online are generally known as telecommuters or remote workers. However, this broad definition covers all kinds of workers: full-time employees, part-time experts, freelancers and consultants, among others.

There’re several reasons for people of all ages across the globe to choose online jobs over traditional in-office working arrangements. Understandably, some reasons could vary in degree depending on your location and country of residence, your skills and personal situation.

Reasons to Work Online in 2020

Millions of jobs were cut due to COVID-19 outbreak. While some industries are thriving, it is not feasible for the job seekers to relocate to other cities, let alone countries. International travel is still subject to various rules and limitations and settling abroad by the end of 2020, and possibly by mid-2021, is considered as a ‘’ mission impossible’’. On top of the travel restrictions, those people who have been laid off, have limited financial resources, and could hardly afford relocation costs.

Those jobs that could be done online have already been shifted to online jobs aka ‘’work from home jobs’’. Even more, many companies, including Twiter and Facebook, have announced their plans encouraging remote working even after the pandemic is over.

What are the top reasons for Indians to choose an online job in 2020?

Employers Prefer Talent v/s Location

With such a vast pool of highly qualified and experienced people across India, employers are now emphasizing on talent instead of location. Hence, a lot of companies look for people that are willing to work online from their homes and can deliver outstanding results.

Furthermore, a lot of foreign companies and brands have entered India over the last five to six years. The first step these companies took was hiring people that were willing to work online. It’s common for foreign companies to gauge the results of their presence in India prior to opening an office in this country.

India is perceived as a fast-developing market that has big potential. At the same time, many market entries have been unsuccessful due to cultural differences as those businesses looking to enter the Indian market relied primarily on their overseas workforce that was not familiar with the market specifics. As most companies have learned from the mistakes of others, these days, almost all foreign businesses entering the Indian market hire their workforce locally.

Therefore, one of the top reasons for Indians to choose an online job in 2020 is definitely the opportunity to work for fast-developing technology companies, large corporations and Multinational Companies (MNCs). Being part of an international remote team helps to broaden your horizons and develop your career faster than ever before.

Online Jobs Help Avoid the Daily Commute

Over the last few years, we have witnessed an increase in commuting time between home and office. Consequently, people have fewer hours at home to spend with family and friends or entertainment and other recreational purposes. Life-long learning requires sufficient time and a fresh mind which are impossible to achieve if people commute for hours and have less than 5 hours of sleep during the business week.

The year 2020 also exposed the hazards of commuting following the Covid-19 outbreak. Most victims are suspected to have contracted the Covid-19 infection while traveling with an infected co-passenger on mass transit or public transport.

Companies are well aware that long commutes drain the energy of their employees and they can’t achieve optimal performance. Hence, businesses prefer people who can work online. Furthermore, avoiding long commutes, the expense, hazards and other evils, is a top reason to choose an online job in 2020.

Online Jobs & Real Estate Costs

Real estate costs across India are spiraling beyond control. Whether it’s a government organization such as India Post or your neighborhood grocery store, most of them nowadays operate from expensive rented premises. As a result, even enterprises and high-growth technology companies avoid buying or renting offices when possible.

This phenomenon is actually working in favor of companies that have lots of tasks that can be done online. They’re looking to hire employees that are willing to work online from home. Secondly, remote work online also allows companies to explore newer markets without investing in real estate and renting expensive offices.

This means that people can find excellent online jobs in 2020, especially if they are living in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities of India. There’s no need to relocate to large or Tier-1 cities to find highly-paying jobs in their field of expertise and build their careers.

Flexible Hours

Flexible working hours are attractive to lots of job seekers and among the top reasons to choose an online job in 2020. As most multinational companies operate in multiple time zones, it is possible to choose those time zones that work well with personal commitments like picking up children from school, taking care of elderly parents, etc.

Studies worldwide indicate that people who work online from home on flexible hours enjoy happier lifestyles and earn more. Telecommuters are less prone to stress and stress-related sicknesses. Additionally, remote workers have a happier family and social life and also enjoy greater physical fitness when compared to their office-bound counterparts.

Online Jobs Suit Mothers

Unfortunately, a lot of qualified women in India drop out of the workforce due to domestic pressures. Though an abhorrent tradition, Indian women are required to double up as housewives even though they may hold lucrative jobs and excellent careers. Unable to cope with these demands, they often cede to family demands and leave their jobs.

Thanks to rules requiring government agencies and private sector firms to reserve various positions for women, a lot of online vacancies are available in 2020. Women that wish to work flexible hours from home don’t need to abandon their careers anymore. Instead, they can work online.

Highly -skilled women looking for a career change can also find excellent, high-paying online jobs. The possibility to work flexible hours helps women to adapt more easily to their homemaker and career roles.

Reports by International Monetary Fund- World Bank and other international organizations clearly state that Indian economy can benefit tremendously by inclusion of more women in the workforce. Online jobs make this possible.

More Reasons to Look for Online Job in 2020

Unsurprisingly, people will continue to look for online jobs from home even the COVID-19 pandemic is over.

Smart Cities of India

The Indian government is developing several metropolia as ‘Smart Cities’. Among the major advantages of these Smart Cities is that they’ll reduce the need for people from remote parts of the country to relocate to major urban centers.

Nowadays, Internet connections are fairly economical and special packages are available for rural and semi-urban residents making it possible for them to get online jobs.

The other reason is that companies are also focusing on newer markets. Instead of investing or spending on buying or leasing offices, businesses look for remote workers that can effectively perform their tasks online. However, digital skills and advanced computer literacy are a ‘’ must-have’’ for those job seekers looking for remote jobs online.

Protection against Economic Downturns

Worldwide, one clear pattern is emerging over the years. It appears that online workers aren’t much affected by economic downturns. While their jobs could be affected due to business slowdown, the employability of online remote workers remains intact as they can apply for jobs with any employer worldwide.

While theoretically, it is possible for remote workers to get a job regardless of the location of the employer, there are various tax and legal requirements that are to be considered. The same applies to the fair pay rate which varies a lot across the globe.

Though the pay rate could be lower sometimes, having an online job can actually protect remote workers against unemployment. In fact, the demand for telecommuting workers grew exponentially during the recent Covid-19 pandemic.

Cons of Online Jobs

However, if you're considering an online job, consider the flipside too. Often, the Internet connection in India isn't as stable as required. This can be a major problem for online jobs. Secondly, working online requires an investment in home office equipment – a laptop, camera and headset as a minimum.

This means that remote workers need to invest a considerable amount of money in Internet connection and hardware unless they are among those lucky ones for whom the employer pays for the gear.

And finally, the greatest hurdle is family and social distractions because lots of people in India live in smaller houses where privacy for work isn't really possible.

Online jobs are not for everyone, but they can help you start and build your own business as a freelancer. Working from home online has its disadvantages that are to be carefully considered prior to deciding on whether remote work from home and online jobs right for you.