When it comes to weighing up the formal office vs home office, there are many convincing arguments for both sides of this debate. For some working from home is an awesome corporate perk. Plus, evidence suggests that employees were more productive when alone and could work anytime, anywhere. The flip side of the coin argues that working in an office environment makes employees more collaborative and innovative. This is so much so that companies like Google and Zappos have redesigned their offices to encourage more serendipitous chance meetings.
With the COVID-10 pandemic becoming less threatening, many might wonder if they’re better off returning to the office or staying stationed in their home offices.
So, is it better to work from home or the office? Let’s explore.
Office Work
Benefits of working in an office
- Of course, there are some jobs that simply cannot be done at home. A teacher needs to be physically present in the classroom and a doctor cannot treat his patients from home.
- In times of emergencies at work, it’s useful to be able to walk directly into the most important person’s office or know exactly where they are to resolve issues.
- We can be most successful when we connect and collaborate with more people
Drawbacks of working in an office
- For some, commuting can be stressful and wastes hours every day that could be more productively spent.
- Bad office relationships can negatively impact an employee’s productivity and job satisfaction.
Home Office
Benefits of working in a home office
- For some having the option to avoid commuting is a considerable perk. To skip those early morning rises to beat the traffic and have an extra few hours at home with your family can transform job satisfaction.
- You can work from anywhere at any time. Especially with the technology of today, as long as you have a WiFi connection you can pretty much work anywhere.
- The hours gained from not commuting could be spent at the gym, sleeping, meditating, on personal improvement projects, or with your family. These activities are proven to reduce stress.
Drawbacks of working in a home office
- Working from home can blur the lines between your work and family life leading to increased work-life stress.
- There are fewer boundaries, with work bleeding into non-work hours, and kids interrupting at the most inconvenient times.
- Managing people virtually is tough and important stuff is lost in translation.
Wrapping Up
Sadly, there is no wrong or right answer to this debate. For some working at home is the perfect solution while for others it is a total relief to be able to separate work from family life. What do you think? What are your experiences when it comes to the office vs home office debate?