Remote Work vs. Office: Which Is Better For You?

Given what is happening around the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more employers are opting (or forced) to make their employees work from home. Current technologies have made it easier than ever before to work remotely while retaining the consistency of work performance. But should companies allow their employees to work from the comfort of their homes or should they keep their team on-site? Each approach has its own advantages. To know which set up works best for you, here are the advantages of working from the office and remote work. 

Advantages of the office

It’s easier to communicate. 

Collaboration is easier when all employees work in a single place where they can discuss matters in person. Team managers can easily know what their team is working on, discuss their challenges on the spot and do appropriate coaching.  

The water cooler talks, office jokes, break time chit chats, and the general fun of having your co-workers around matter – both personally and professionally. Working in the office boosts camaraderie. Managers can give their subordinates a pat on the back for a job well done and teams can easily celebrate small victories. Without the face-to-face interaction with co-workers, emails or Slack messages can easily be interpreted incorrectly. Miscommunications occur when we fail to gauge a person’s reaction or emotional state because virtual communication sometimes undermines our ability to distinguish non-verbal cues such as body language and the tone of voice.

Better time management 

We all have our own routine when we work in an office – from the time your alarm goes off to sitting at your desk. It’s easier to keep your game face on when you go to the office knowing that you will use all your time working. It gives a better separation between work time and home life.  

Many people turn into workaholics when they work from home as there is a blur on their personal and professional time. Keeping things under control avoids employees from spending their personal time doing more work.  

Increases motivation  

It’s a busy week and your boss decides to order pizza to keep everyone motivated. Sharing these kinds of enjoyable experiences with your coworkers is a major office perk.  

By being around coworkers, you also passively encourage each other to perform better. The constant presence of your managers and team members means both newbies and tenured workers gets the support and knowledge about the business they need to excel in their field.

Advantages of remote work

More time for your personal life  

For working professionals, time is a valuable thing you always want more of. At home, you have more time to spend with your family. The time spent on commuting to work can now be replaced by a few steps to your home office. Working from home also means you can wear whatever is comfortable for you. No need to take time choosing between clothes, wearing makeup, and fixing your hair. Saving more time means employees can have more time to relax in the park or watch a movie together with their loved ones.  

It’s healthier 

Yes, you read that right. Working from home gives you more time to manage your health. For instance, you can start your day by hitting the treadmill. Also, the kitchen is just a few steps away so you also have complete control of your diet by choosing more nourishing foods.  

Use of communication technology 

Missing the office chats? No problem! Companies can now take advantage of virtual tools like Microsoft Teams where all employees can communicate and create different channels for different projects, making it easier for them to juggle between groups. Helping you do work easier! You can read this article we created for more modern workplace applications from Microsoft.

Less stress 

We can’t deny the fact work is a major cause of stress. The State of Remote Work 2019 by Owl Labs also shows that 80% of workers agreed that working from home would make them feel less stressed. Working from home can give you more time to sleep, potentially eliminate toxic work relationships, and have fewer distractions.

Working from home may be a dream come true for most of us. But now that work and personal life are both under the same roof, we must make sure that we set boundaries and stop writing “one more email”. Here is a useful article that could help you maintain your work-life balance.

The hybrid arrangement 

What if you want to enjoy the benefits of working from home and going to the office? Most modern workplaces are now opting to the hybrid option wherein workers spend some days or weeks working in the office and work remotely at the same time. This option keeps people happy and motivated. It allows the team to have a face-to-face conversation forming a bond between each team members while giving you enough “alone time” when you need to. All these while giving workers more quality time in their personal lives. 

As they say, “modern problems need modern solutions”. No matter which approach works best for you, Insight has can offer solutions tailored to the specific needs of your business. We offer a wide range of IT infrastructure requirements to keep your business perform at its best! Contact us to find out how Insight can assist your business.

You can also check these helpful tips on using the right technology for remote work.