In the past, work from home employees were undermined, seen as unessential, and often described as easily distracted. Employers believed that to be at their most productive, employees were to be kept close so they could fill their quota of supervision. Many companies only allowed work from home if there were a family emergency or if that employee wasn't an employee but the boss.
As the years wore on and technology advanced, the modern world's stance on remote work has changed. Many teleconferencing and teleworking platforms such as Skype, Google Meet, and Slack have changed the game. Thanks to these platforms, many businesses began to flourish with distant squads..
The traditional industry has taken a critical hit, as office structures all over the world temporarily closed due to the pandemic. Workplaces such as schools, government agencies, and countless organisations have to conform to this new world order. Companies worldwide have resorted to working from home initiatives, as they all battle to stave off stagnancy and keep productivity going.
Let us take a closer look at the pros and cons of working from home vs. the pros and cons of working from the office.
Summary of the Pros
Working from home can allow some degree of flexibility to take care of arrangements and important shopping.
There are fewer interruptions from unnecessary meetings and annoying workplace gossip.
There is virtually no commuting time and no commuting expense.
PROS
You have the flexibility to take care of arrangements and important shopping:
This is relatively straightforward, as you now can manoeuvre between work and errands. Many become freelancers simply because of the flexibility. Freelancing done right can allow you to schedule all your day to day activities and still complete a full day of work. Better yet, you may even get the opportunity to set your work hours and have everyone else fall in line.
There are fewer interruptions from unnecessary meetings and annoying workplace gossip:
Productivity often diminishes due to unnecessary meetings. Working at home reduces these instances, thus increasing your work time. The traditional office is known for hosting lengthy meetings that are occasionally less fruitful than a 15-20 minute Zoom check-in.
There is virtually no commuting time and no commuting expense:
Going to work can be the most challenging part of your day, and the opportunity to eliminate all of that is refreshing with the added benefit of not spending any money.
Summary of the Cons
The scenery may remain stagnant.
One can easily misread messages and tones via electronic messaging platforms.
It may be difficult to separate work and leisure.
CONS
The scenery remains stagnant:
Working from home can become mundane after a while, as you face the same bedroom wall for most of your day. For many freelancers, a quick change of scenery fixes this con.
It is easy to misread messages and tones via electronic messaging platforms:
Emails, faxes, and other work messaging tools convey work-related information. The information sent can easily be misconstrued based on how it is read or written. Working remotely may prevent the ease of obtaining clarity, while in a workplace setting, a quick stride to your coworker's desk can resolve the matter in no time.
It is difficult to separate work and leisure:
Working from home can push you to work for 18 hours or play for hours. In your traditional workplace, schedules are strictly adhered to, but working from home can reduce productivity if you lack discipline.
Since we have established the pros and cons of working from home, let us move on to the traditional office industry. The pros and cons of working at the office are many, but allow us to begin with the pros to keep it positive.
The Traditional Office
PROS
Leave Your Work at Work:
In most office jobs, your tasks for the day end when work ends. Work is done at the office, and the home is dedicated to recreation.
Same Daily Departure Time:
Since many offices have set schedules, your set departure time does not change. This contrasts with working remotely, where you may find yourself working for extended periods because your home never closes.
The Ease of Socialization and Networking:
Meeting like-minded people helps to create a prosperous work environment, which is a requirement of a place where you will spend most of your days. This environment in turn fosters the growth and development for you and the organisation.
CONS
A Sedentary Lifestyle:
Sitting all day, in addition to a long commute, equals peak exhaustion levels. Unfortunately, this does not allow you to do much other than sleep when you get home, then repeat the cycle the next day.
The Cycle Becomes Mundane:
Traditional office jobs lose their appeal once you have adopted a work routine and the daily tasks become repetitive. This can quickly affect your mental state and lead to mental fatigue. Try doing something new each day.
Scheduling Time Off can be A Nightmare:
Scheduling time off for personal reasons can sometimes be a logistical nightmare due to the nature of your job. In some cases, you may not be able to leave if a coworker is already out. Other times, it may be difficult switching schedules with a coworker if your schedule is unappealing. In the end, you are forced to take the day depending on the importance of the appointment or cancel and go to work.
Ultimately, making time for your personal can be quite challenging when you work a traditional job.
Long Commute Times:
Commuting to work, especially for those who live in busy cities, can take up most of the morning and is a great annoyance. Factoring in the commuting cost for bus fare and gas transforms your irritation into full-blown anger. This is no way to start your workday, but it is the reality for many who have to travel to work each day.
The battle lines have been drawn, and the winner is yet to be determined as challenging each mode of working has significant value. However, as more young people enter the job market, the old management style of intensive scrutiny is slowly fading away. The current health crisis presents our workforce with a golden opportunity. Let us use these work from home technologies to improve our way of life and to conduct business. The cons are slightly menial when compared with the pros of remote work. Embarking on this chapter of life will re-imagine the world and create endless possibilities and a future that we can be proud of.
The traditional office culture was once beautiful, and now, like many cultural shifts before, it is fading away. Let us ease it into its final resting place, with grace and dignity as it was once a place that held the industrial revolution together and was the place where world-altering ideas were conceived.
Today gives us the best chance to reset our world, our country, our culture, and the economy.
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