Essential English Vocabulary for Remote Work
More people work remotely today than ever before. Some do it only a few days a week, while others rarely visit their company's office. Since working from home is now such a common part of professional life, it's a good idea to learn some of the words and expressions related to it.
This time, we'll highlight some of the most common and useful English you need to talk about remote work. All professionals should know these terms, whether or not you work from home yourself, so let's get to it!
WFH
This is an abbreviation for "working from home." Each full word should be pronounced rather than simply saying the letters.
- Office supply stores now have areas dedicated to WFH goods for remote workers.
Hybrid
Generally, this is a noun or adjective referring to a mixture of two or more things. In business, "hybrid companies" and "hybrid teams" are made up of a combination of employees who work in an office and those who work remotely.
- I'm on a hybrid team, so I rarely meet some of my colleagues face to face since they live in other areas.
This same idea is sometimes expressed with "blended."
- I was attracted to this company because it allows for blended teams.
Coworking space
Coworking spaces are offices that rent space to freelancers and professionals who work outside of their company's office. Some people do not enjoy working from home, so coworking spaces offer a convenient alternative.
- I met some designers at a coworking space who might be able to help me with a project I'm putting together.
Digital nomad
Nomads are people who regularly move from place to place instead of staying in one area and making a home there.
"Digital nomads" are people who take advantage of their ability to work remotely by traveling while they work.
- Once I became a digital nomad, I started traveling much more. I'm not on vacation, though — I still need to get my work done!
Asynchronous and synchronous communication
When two or more things are "synchronized," they are operating together, within the same time or in the same manner. Standard offices work in this way.
In "asynchronous" communication, on the other hand, colleagues work together even when there is a major difference in time or location. For example, instead of having meetings that everyone attends, information can be shared through email, recordings and messages on a company network.
This term is often shortened to "async."
- Async communication is common in my company, so my colleagues don't always expect an immediate reply when they send me a message.
The opposite of this is "synchronous communication." In this type, everyone involved must be doing an activity at the same time as everyone else.
- Synchronous communication includes things such as in-person meetings, telephone calls and real-time video conferences.
Compressed workweek
"Compressing" something is squeezing it into a smaller space or time. Workers with a "compressed workweek" work longer hours over a shorter amount of days.
This working style is not specifically related to remote work, but it is also a business trend that is becoming more common.
- I have a compressed workweek, so I work 10-hour days but only four days a week. It's sometimes tough, but it means Thursday feels like Friday!
Distributed workforce
The verb "distribute" means "to spread out." Therefore, unlike traditional companies, a "distributed workforce" is one in which a company's staff is based in many areas instead of just one.
- Our distributed workforce consists of employees in several different countries in Asia and the Americas.
Single Source of Truth (SSOT)
When employees are spread out in different places and working at different times, it is especially important that everyone has the same information and understands the company's main goals.
What helps an organization do this is having a Single Source of Truth — a system or collection of core information that workers can reference when needed.
- If you're not clear about something, be sure to check the SSOT. That will help reduce mistakes and misunderstandings.
Brick-and-mortar
"Brick-and-mortar" is an adjective that refers to the materials needed to construct a building. This term is generally used in the retail industry as a way to talk about real, physical stores, not stores based online.
- Although most of our business comes from our website, we still operate several brick-and-mortar stores in key markets.
Retreat
"Retreats" are social events in which a company's employees gather in order to spend time together and form stronger bonds.
Although actual work is usually only a small part of retreats, the ultimate goal is for workers to feel more comfortable with each other so that they can create stronger teams.
- Because my company is fully remote, I only see most of my colleagues during annual retreats.
BYOD
This stands for "Bring Your Own Device," and it is a policy in which workers are allowed to use their personal electronic devices — such as computers and phones — for company business.
- The Information Security team is starting to feel nervous about our company's BYOD policy.
Gig economy
This refers to businesses such as ride-sharing and food delivery services. People who work in these industries are called "gig workers" and they work the days and hours they choose rather than traditional 40-hour weeks.
- Being a gig worker gives you a lot of flexibility but not much job security.
Non-verbal cues
"Non-verbal cues" is basically another term for body language. These cues include things like facial expressions, gestures and tone of voice.
As video conferences become more common, how we send signals to others without speaking is also increasingly important. However, these signals can often be hard to understand clearly.
- Even if you don't talk during a video call, you are still communicating with non-verbal cues.
Wrap-up
Even if your company does not allow remote work, it is now a standard part of the business world. Therefore, you should definitely become familiar with the vocabulary and expressions related to it.
And since you're already learning about business, why not take a look at these other posts that can help you as an English-speaking professional?
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