Remote Work Glossary
The definitive guide to remote work terminology. Master the language of distributed teams, employment structures, and modern work.
This glossary covers 50 essential remote work terms across 5 categories: company types (remote-first, distributed teams), work styles (async communication, timezone overlap), legal structures (EOR, contractor arrangements), collaboration tools, and compensation models. Whether you're job searching, interviewing, or navigating your first remote role, these definitions will help you understand the vocabulary of modern distributed work and make informed career decisions.
- •50 terms covering the complete remote work vocabulary
- •5 categories from company types to compensation structures
- •Updated regularly as remote work practices evolve
- •AI-optimized definitions for quick, accurate answers
- •Cross-referenced with related guides and tools
Company Types
5 termsHow companies structure their remote work policies
Distributed Team
A team whose members work from different geographic locations, often across multiple time zones, cities, or countries, rather than from a central office.
Fully Remote
A work arrangement where the employee works entirely from a location of their choosing, with no requirement to visit a physical office, even occasionally.
Hybrid Remote
A work arrangement where employees split their time between working remotely and working from a physical office, typically with set in-office days or minimum office attendance requirements.
Remote-First
A company philosophy where remote work is the default mode of operation, with all processes, tools, and culture designed for distributed teams.
Remote-Friendly
A company that allows remote work as an option but maintains physical offices as the primary workplace, with processes designed around in-office collaboration.
Work Styles & Culture
24 termsCommunication, collaboration, and work patterns in remote environments
All-Hands Meeting
A company-wide meeting where leadership shares updates, celebrates wins, addresses questions, and aligns the entire organization, typically held monthly or quarterly.
Async Work
A work style where team members do not need to be online or available at the same time, communicating through written messages, recorded videos, and documentation rather than real-time meetings.
Async-First
A communication philosophy where asynchronous methods (written documents, recorded videos, threaded discussions) are the default, with synchronous meetings used only when truly necessary.
Burnout
A state of chronic work-related stress characterized by exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced professional efficacy, which can be exacerbated in remote work by blurred boundaries between work and personal life.
Digital Nomad
A person who works remotely while traveling to and living in different locations, typically moving between countries or cities every few weeks or months, using technology to perform their job from anywhere.
Documentation Culture
An organizational practice where important decisions, processes, and knowledge are systematically written down and made accessible to all team members, reducing reliance on synchronous communication and institutional knowledge.
Gig Economy
An economic system characterized by short-term, flexible work arrangements, often facilitated by digital platforms, where workers take on individual tasks or 'gigs' rather than traditional long-term employment.
Location Independent
The ability to perform one's job from any geographic location, without being tied to a specific office, city, or country, as long as basic requirements like internet access are met.
Offboarding
The formal process of an employee leaving a company, including knowledge transfer, equipment return, access revocation, and exit procedures, which requires special coordination for remote workers.
Pair Programming
A software development technique where two programmers work together at one workstation, with one writing code (the driver) and the other reviewing and guiding (the navigator), commonly used in interviews and daily work.
Remote Culture
The shared values, practices, communication norms, and rituals that define how a remote or distributed team operates, connects, and maintains cohesion without physical co-location.
Remote Interview
A job interview conducted entirely through video conferencing or phone, requiring candidates to demonstrate technical skills, cultural fit, and communication abilities without in-person interaction.
Remote Leadership
The practice of leading and managing team members who work remotely, requiring adapted communication styles, trust-based management, outcome-focused evaluation, and intentional relationship building.
Remote Onboarding
The process of integrating new employees into a company entirely through digital means, including equipment setup, documentation access, team introductions, and training, without requiring in-person presence.
Stand-up Meeting
A brief, time-boxed team meeting (typically 15 minutes or less) where each member shares what they worked on, what they'll work on next, and any blockers, originally designed to be held standing to keep it short.
Sync Work
A work style requiring team members to be online and available at the same time for real-time communication, typically through video calls, phone calls, or instant messaging.
Take-Home Test
An interview assessment completed on the candidate's own time, typically involving a realistic work sample like building a feature, writing content, or solving a business problem, with a set deadline.
Technical Assessment
Any evaluation of a candidate's technical abilities during the hiring process, including coding challenges, system design interviews, take-home projects, or pair programming sessions.
Timezone Overlap
The period of shared working hours between team members in different time zones, critical for scheduling real-time collaboration and meetings in distributed teams.
Video Interview
A job interview conducted over video conferencing platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams, requiring attention to technical setup, visual presentation, and on-camera communication skills.
Virtual Team Building
Organized activities and practices designed to build rapport, trust, and social connection among remote team members who don't regularly interact in person.
Work From Anywhere (WFA)
A company policy that allows employees to work from any geographic location without restrictions, as opposed to remote policies that may limit work to specific countries, states, or time zones.
Work-Life Balance
The equilibrium between professional responsibilities and personal life, which requires intentional boundary-setting in remote work where the physical separation of office and home doesn't exist.
Workation
A travel arrangement where remote workers combine work responsibilities with vacation by working from a destination location, maintaining productivity while enjoying a change of scenery.
Legal & Employment
9 termsEmployment structures, contracts, and compliance for distributed teams
Contractor Agreement
A legal contract between a client and an independent contractor that defines the scope of work, payment terms, intellectual property rights, confidentiality obligations, and the nature of the working relationship.
Contractor vs Employee
The fundamental distinction between working as an independent contractor (self-employed, responsible for own taxes and benefits) versus an employee (on company payroll with benefits, taxes withheld, and labor protections).
Employer of Record (EOR)
A third-party organization that serves as the legal employer for workers in countries where a company doesn't have a legal entity, handling payroll, taxes, benefits, and compliance while the client company manages day-to-day work.
Freelancer
A self-employed individual who offers services to clients on a project or contract basis, without long-term commitment to a single employer, managing their own schedule, taxes, and business operations.
Global Payroll
The process of paying employees across multiple countries while ensuring compliance with each country's tax laws, labor regulations, and reporting requirements.
Independent Contractor
A worker who provides services to a client under a contract for services, operating as a separate business entity, maintaining control over how work is performed, and responsible for their own taxes and benefits.
PEO (Professional Employer Organization)
A company that provides comprehensive HR services through a co-employment arrangement, handling payroll, benefits, tax administration, and compliance while the client company retains day-to-day management of employees.
Statement of Work (SOW)
A detailed document that defines project-specific deliverables, timelines, milestones, and success criteria for a specific engagement, often attached to a master contractor agreement.
W2 vs 1099
The US tax classification distinction between W-2 employees (taxes withheld by employer, receive benefits) and 1099 contractors (self-employed, pay own taxes, no employer benefits).
Tools & Technology
7 termsSoftware and platforms that enable remote collaboration
Collaboration Tools
Software that enables remote team members to work together on shared documents, projects, and communication in real-time or asynchronously, replacing the spontaneous collaboration of physical offices.
Coworking Space
A shared professional workspace where remote workers, freelancers, and small teams can work independently or collaboratively, typically offering amenities like fast internet, meeting rooms, and community events.
Home Office
A dedicated workspace within one's residence used for remote work, which may qualify for employer stipends and tax deductions depending on jurisdiction and employment arrangement.
Productivity Tools
Software applications that help remote workers organize tasks, manage time, communicate with teams, and accomplish work more efficiently, forming the digital infrastructure of distributed work.
Project Management
The practice of planning, organizing, and overseeing work to achieve specific goals, especially critical in remote settings where visibility into work progress requires deliberate tracking and communication.
Time Tracking
The practice of recording hours worked, either for billing clients, measuring productivity, or ensuring compliance with labor laws, using manual timesheets or automated software.
Virtual Office
Either a software environment that simulates office presence for remote teams (like Gather or Tandem) or a service providing a business address, mail handling, and occasional meeting space without a full physical office.
Compensation & Benefits
5 termsPay structures, equity, and benefits for remote workers
Benefits Package
The combination of non-salary compensation offered to employees, including health insurance, retirement plans, paid time off, equity, and perks, which can vary significantly between remote and traditional employers.
Equity Compensation
A form of non-cash compensation that gives employees ownership stake in the company through stock options, restricted stock units (RSUs), or other equity instruments, common in tech and startups.
PTO Policy
A company's policy governing paid time away from work, including vacation days, sick leave, personal days, and holidays, which may be structured as a set number of days, unlimited PTO, or accrual-based.
Salary Transparency
The practice of openly sharing salary information, either through public pay ranges in job postings, internal salary bands, or full disclosure of all employee compensation, increasingly required by law in many jurisdictions.
Unlimited PTO
A time-off policy with no set limit on vacation days, where employees can take as much time off as they need, though research shows unlimited PTO often results in employees taking less time off due to ambiguity and pressure.
Related Resources
Common Questions About Remote Work Terms
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between remote-first and remote-friendly companies?
Remote-first companies build all processes, communication, and culture around distributed work as the default—no employee is disadvantaged for not being in an office. Remote-friendly companies allow remote work but often maintain office-centric practices where remote workers may miss important conversations or face promotion barriers. When job searching, remote-first typically means better support for distributed workers.
What is an Employer of Record (EOR) and when do companies use them?
An Employer of Record (EOR) is a third-party organization that legally employs workers in countries where a company doesn't have a legal entity. Companies use EORs to hire internationally without setting up foreign subsidiaries, handling payroll, taxes, benefits, and compliance. For workers, EOR employment means proper local contracts and benefits while working day-to-day for the client company.
What does async-first mean for remote workers?
Async-first (asynchronous-first) means communication and collaboration happen primarily through written documentation, recorded videos, and messages rather than real-time meetings. This approach allows team members across time zones to contribute during their productive hours without scheduling conflicts. Successful async work requires strong written communication skills and comfort with documentation.
Should I work as a contractor or through an EOR?
It depends on the role and your preferences. EOR employment provides benefits, tax withholding, and employment protections but less flexibility. Contracting offers more independence and potentially higher gross pay but requires handling your own taxes, benefits, and business administration. Long-term integrated roles often work better as EOR employment, while project-based work suits contracting.
What is timezone overlap and why does it matter?
Timezone overlap refers to the hours when team members in different locations are working simultaneously. Many remote companies require 3-4 hours of overlap with core team hours for real-time collaboration like meetings and quick discussions. Understanding timezone requirements helps you identify which remote jobs you're eligible for based on your location.
How do remote companies handle compensation across different locations?
Approaches vary: some companies pay the same globally regardless of location, others adjust for local cost of living, and some use tiered geographic bands. Understanding a company's compensation philosophy is important when evaluating offers. Terms like 'location-agnostic pay' or 'geo-adjusted salary' signal different approaches to this question.