WFH or the office? The pros and cons

Working from home (WFH) was fast becoming a trend long before the Covid-19 outbreak. In light of national lockdowns right across the globe, however, people’s eyes have been opened to the advantages of working from the comfort of their own homes, as opposed to having to travel into their place of work each morning.

In light of these events, businesses have been put in positions where they’ve needed to accommodate staff working from home. With these contingencies now firmly in place and the UK government deciding that employees are to be offered the right to request flexible working from their first day of employment, many of us are now in the position of choosing whether to work from the office or our own homes. 

Here we look at the pros and cons of both working environments.

Pros of working from the office 

• Productive working environment

You likely feel most ready to work when you’ve arrived at your desk in the morning. In a professional office setting, you are surrounded by everything you need to get you through the workday; tea and coffee making facilities, internet access, electric sockets and a telephone etc. This can drastically help in ensuring your working environment is a productive one.

• Easy to collaborate with others

It is far easier to run ideas by others when they are sitting in the same room or building as you. When working remotely, having to phone or video call your colleagues can be more effort and is also dependent on both of you having fully functioning hardware and software.

• Overheads are covered by your employer

Although the UK government does offer assistance with covering some tax relief for people working from home, you will essentially need to pay your own electricity, heating and internet bills when working from home. Your employer should provide you with adequate hardware and software for you to complete your job to the best of your ability, but in some careers, such as teaching, this is not always the case.

Cons of working from the office 

• Commuting

Unfortunately, working in a centralised office means that not only do you have to live in a certain location, but you will likely also have to wake up at about the same time as most other people in that area and fight with them through the traffic to get to your place of work each morning, and again to get home at night. Not only can the commute be timely, but it can also be expensive.

• Less flexible hours

If working in an office, you will likely be expected to arrive on-site at about 9am and not leave until roughly 5pm. Although this is a standard working day for most people, it can be quite restrictive for anyone who has family or other responsibilities, or even for anyone needing to book a doctor’s appointment; in this instance, you would likely have to take time off work, rather than fit this into your day like you could if your hours were flexible.

• Distracted by work colleagues

Just as family members can be distracting when working from home, colleagues and workplace dramas can be just as disruptive. However, with strong management skills from your team’s leaders, this should be easily manageable.

Pros of working from home 

• It can be more productive than working in the office

Research suggests that working remotely can increase productivity by up to 77%. With the ability to complete your work at times that suit you best, in an environment where you will likely feel most relaxed, it has actually been proven that working from home can improve productivity. This does, of course, depend on the type of person you are, your lifestyle, the industry you work in and your attitude to your work.

• Flexible hours

Depending on the nature of your work and the expectations set out by your employer, most workers who operate from their home offices are often allowed to complete their work in the hours that best suit them. If waking up early to be ready for a 9 am start is not your thing, this can be an especially great advantage.

• More time for family 

Being able to work from home can make it easier for those with young children or elderly relatives to work around their caring responsibilities. Without the need to commute to and from work each day, individuals instead can have more time available to spend with those they care about most.

Cons of working from home

• Can get distracted

Although working from home can give us more time to spend with our loved ones, working from home whilst caring for your young child or even a pet can prove particularly distracting. Unlike working in the office, it is far more likely that you’ll become distracted by things around your home, such as household chores, answering the telephone, and even the doorbell.

•  Self-motivation can be difficult

There may be applications out there that help you track the time you’ve spent working or help keep you motivated by blocking social media sites, but motivating yourself to work from home can sometimes prove more difficult than when in an office environment. The peer pressure that working next to colleagues with similarly heavy workloads can provide is invaluable.

• Technology problems

If you are not particularly tech-savvy, working from home can come with its complications. If your internet access fails, you may be limited as to exactly how much work you can complete. You may also find that if your microphone or camera fails, then collaborating with colleagues on different projects can be tough to do remotely.

Now that you have had the chance to weigh up the pros and cons of both styles of working, you may be interested in investing in ergonomic furniture for your home office. 

Alternatively, you might be looking at a hybrid style of working where you do make use of professional office space from time to time. Rather than signing a lease or purchasing your own long term office space, there are plenty of meeting room rental options available in towns and cities across the globe.