Like everything in life, there are pros and cons to being an employee over a freelancer. The downside of working for a company is that you do not have the freedom that freelancing offers.

As a freelancer, you decide when you work, who you work for and how many hours a week you work. That’s not the case for an employee but, there are many benefits, as discussed in this guide.

Remote job or Freelancing? Here is why having a Remote job is better.

Employer benefits

When working for an employer, you are often entitled to benefits like a pension, health care insurance, and paid vacation leave.

Some Remote companies will also pay for your home office equipment, a new laptop and other required accessories. As a freelancer, you have to pay for this out of your own pocket, so bear this in mind.

Regular income

This is one of the biggest pros of being an employee.

After working for a company for 24 years and getting paid regularly, it was too stressful to go into full-time freelancing. You do not know when an invoice will be paid, and it is difficult to manage your finances.

You know how much you will earn each month and can plan your spending and saving accordingly. Consistently getting paid on the same day of the month took a lot of the stress of working remotely.

Tax and other contributions dealt with

If the company you are working for has an HQ in your home country, then they will take care of your taxes and other contributions. For many, this is a massive pro because the company will file your taxes.

When you’re a freelancer, it’s your responsibility to file tax returns and pay the tax directly to your tax authority. In the UK, you have to complete a tax return and make sure that your income tax and national insurance are paid, or you can be heavily fined.

You also have to record all incomings and outgoings for audit purposes. Every country has different tax laws, and it’s a minefield, so always get advice from a tax expert or financial advisor.

No need for personal liability insurance

When you are a freelancer, it’s always advised to take out personal liability insurance. Should your client sue you, then you need to be financially covered. Of course, you could create a limited company, so you are not personally liable, but there’s more obstacles to jump over.

As an employee, you do not need personal liability insurance. Read your contract to make sure there are no hidden legal loopholes.

More engagement with people

Remote work can be isolating when you are working from home. As an employee, you will be working with a team. This means you will regularly have video calls and text-based conversations.

For a freelancer, the only people you speak to are your clients.

Many Remote companies also have an annual get together, so all employees will get together in one location and spend time getting to know each other. This helps build relationships with people you’ve only really seen on a video camera.

Easier to get into a work routine

From my experience, fully Remote companies are better at offering their employees a work-life balance. Choose your employer carefully, and learn about their work culture and what is expected of you. Do you have to start at 9am and finish at 5pm, or do you have more flexibility?

Assuming that the company is flexible, then it’s easier to create a work routine that helps you get the kids off to school or, so you can exercise. It is also easier to get into a work routine because of the expectations that the company sets.

When you are freelancing, it’s likely that you will have to work unsocial hours, especially if your clients are on the other side of the world.

To get work done to deadlines and get paid, you will have to put in the hours. You do have more freedom, which can make getting motivated to a work routine difficult.

Less stress

Not many people know this, but before quitting my job and employer of 24 years, my evenings and weekends were taken up working as a freelancer. This was so that debts could be paid and money saved.

Freelancing was more stressful than working for an employer. You have to create content and network to find new clients. There’s the stress of keeping clients happy and chasing up invoices when they are not paid.

All of this is based on my own experiences over the past 7 years.

Hopefully, this has helped you make a decision if a remote job is your prefered route. Please ask any questions and we will help.