Working from home and flexible schedules are gaining momentum across the globe. How are these trends growing in Canada?
Working from home with a flexible schedule is becoming more and more popular, especially in Canada. There are numerous legitimate work from home jobs in Canada. These range from jobs in teaching and software development to call centers, virtual assistants and translation. Many also run small business from their homes.
Many Canadian employers are happy to hire employees that work from home since they will not have to pay for their overhead or additional hours when they don't need their services. Since those who work from home generally work on-call, employers can save on office space, not to mention employee tax and benefits. Many small business owners in Canada enjoy working from home as it affords them flexibility in their work hours and saves time plus money in commuting.
Business owners can have a highly successful career working from home. Numerous famous business people work from home, such as entrepreneur Richard Branson, star Amazon engineer James Hamilton, personal training and weight loss CEO Jeff Hyman, and Craig Newmark, Founder of Craigslist.
Working from home in Canada has become particularly popular for Moms whose small children and other household responsibilities prevent them from going to an office every day. From the comfort of their own home they can seek employment or run a small business, whilst also taking care of their family's needs. For those people who are invalids, have physical impairments, live in remote areas or are simply fed up of commuting to an office, working from home can be a great way to earn money as it does not require travel or being exposed to an environment that may not be suited to their needs. Some people may already have a day job and have a small business as a second job where they work from home offering other services. Setting up a small business where you work from home allows anyone who explores the option, to acquire new skills, explore additional career possibilities, be independent—all without having to put one foot out the door.
In Canada, more and more small business owners are opting to work from home. Given the technology available today, it is often the most practical choice. Many feel that telecommuting is the future of work. As with all work, there are challenges, such as feeling distracted by your home environment. You need to be organized with your schedule, disciplined enough to be your own boss, astute enough to time your work, ensure you have a separate dedicated work space and also know how and when to separate yourself from your work responsibilities so as to relax.
For Canadians, those work from home may apply for tax deductions. If they can provide proof that you work from home to Revenue Canada, when completing your taxes deductions you may be able to claim utilities (heat, hydro and water), business phone, general repairs and maintenance, Internet access, supplies, rent and condominium fees plus more.
