Which one is Better, Working Remotely or Working from an Office?

The world saw the horror of Covid-19 pandemic which forced every company, small or big, to get work from their employees from their homes. This led to experimentation with work style as most people found ‘work from home’ more convenient and flexible. The employees could complete their work while staying with their loved ones. They could fix their own schedule and discipline as per their likings.

However, ‘work from home’ brought its own challenges with it. Even though it was saving commuting time, it was also demanding more discipline and self-motivation. Effective communication which is a crucial part of any organisation was also missing. These challenges brought up a battle: Work from home vs work from office, which one is better? Let’s discuss it.

Work from Home:

1. Agility and flexibility –

Working from home allows you greater agility and flexibility in work arrangements. Now that they are no longer confined to an office, workers may be more prepared and better suited to work flexible hours, including earlier or later in the day or even on weekends. This can allow you to satisfy specific company demands, such as trading with clients residing in different time zone countries.

2. Employee retention has improved –

Working from home can help retain employees since the flexibility allows them to meet childcare obligations, cut their travel, and fit their work around their personal lives. Employee loyalty may be considerably increased if employers give them the option to work from home because it improves their trust in them.

3. Productivity gains –

Because there are less interruptions than would generally occur in an office environment working from home, on the other hand, provides a calmer setting that can encourage more concentrated work. You may also discover that some employees would like to expand their paid contractual hours as they save commuting time.

4. Improved employee health and well-being –

Working from home reduces the need for your staff to endure a difficult commute to work. Saving time like this allows employees to get more sleep, spend more time with family, exercise, or prepare better meals.

5. Financial advantages –

Employers get the savings on office space, supplies, electricity expenses, and other amenities. Staff may also get benefitted from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) tax relief for working from home.

6. Convenience

It’s possible that some of your employees spend a lot of time visiting clients and aren’t always in the office. It can be more convenient for them to base themselves at home, which also results in further time and money savings.

7. Improved work-life balance –

By working from home, employees can have a better work-life balance. For example, staff who would have had to commute can now utilise that time for themselves, laying the groundwork for a better work-life balance. Additionally, employees are able to incorporate domestic tasks into their schedules, providing them extra time in the evenings for leisure activities like loading or unloading the dishwasher or cooking lunch.

8. It’s simpler thanks to technology:

Staff members can now stay linked to the office at all times thanks to the internet. Communication between co-workers and teams has become easier thanks to tools like Zoom, which occasionally can result in meetings that are more productive and efficient.

Work from Office:

Improved time management

The office has a proper structure, which is dreadfully lacking in a work from home setting. Set work hours, a clear routine, or even a distinct workspace and desk can all help with the transition and satisfy the need for order. The time available to do chores may seem boundless when working from home. The workplace offers more enforceable and widely accepted deadlines and expectations, which can increase productivity.

Networking Possibilities

Collaboration fosters innovation, so there is power in togetherness that goes beyond just group decision-making. It has been challenging, and occasionally impossible, to duplicate this through virtual meetings. People’s capacity to form deep connections that lead to invention is restored by working in an office.

Business Culture

The calculated risk of losing company culture is one of the main reasons Google is enticing staff to return to the office. Making a statement like this when dealing with a tech giant where remote work is a very possible option should make all corporate leaders think twice. It takes a lot of work to create culture, and its loss might hamper everything from innovation and progress to economic success.

Productivity

For a while, it appeared that the verdict on remote workers’ productivity was still out because of the conflicting findings of the data that was available. When it comes to making decisions based on priorities, it’s critical for employees to know who they are. For many people, working from home is incredibly distracting and full of difficulties. Returning to work can lift the burden of self-discipline and give ready-made, simpler structures for completing to-do lists.

Which one is better??

Finding a balance between the two kinds of work is crucial for the future. The majority of businesses intend to break up the work week into days as the pandemic comes to a conclusion. They can take advantage of the advantages of both work settings by working from home on certain days of the week and going into the office on other days.

On days when staff are in the office, brainstorming sessions and meetings can be held, and ideas can be put into action remotely. This results in a more favourable work-life balance that is advantageous to both businesses and employees and creates the best framework for work optimization in the future.

FAQs

Q.1- Which one is better: work from home or office?

Over the past few months, a number of studies revealed that working remotely increases productivity more than working in an office environment. People who work from home are generally 10 minutes less unproductive each day, work one additional day per week, and are 47% more productive.

Q.2- Why is working in the office better than home?

People’s networks significantly reduce the people they only need to deal with when working from home, especially if they do so for an extended period of time. Employees can connect with folks they might not normally interact with by being in the office.

Q.3- Why is work from home not good?

Working from home lacks a work environment. An employee’s life can become challenging due to a lack of motivation, which can also have a negative impact on productivity. Although self-motivation can be effective to some extent, it is not always sufficient to keep a man going. The employment of external motivation is then necessary in this situation.