Remote Work, Office Work or A Hybrid of Both? Which Is Better?

We love working from home as much as we love the last slice of pizza and taylor swifts songs! But it isn’t possible to run the world at home, right? So, let us see what it is we can do.

The outbreak of the coronavirus pressed pause on the idea of normalcy as a whole and allowed for routines that would not have been possible otherwise. It popularized the idea of WFH: work from home and helped other businesses realize that their operations could still be successful even if employees weren’t physically present in the office. Employees are not ready to return to the regular structure that existed before the outbreak, thus there is a clash of ideas now that the pandemic is over.

The benefits of working from home became more widely understood among employees during the pandemic. They came to understand that it facilitated the maintenance of a good work-life balance and provided a degree of comfort and flexibility that is lacking in the typical office setting. As a result, many workers at numerous companies have started to ask for authorization to work from home. These requests are difficult to handle as an employer. Which circumstance helps employees perform at their highest potential and result in better outcomes? Let’s weigh the benefits and drawbacks of working from home versus an office to try to come up with a calculated response.

Advantages to Working From Home

To begin with, working from home saves a lot of time that is wasted commuting to and fro daily. Many employees travel long distances, which causes burnout to occur much sooner than it should. While working from home, those hours can be used to finish a few extra daily chores. Wasting 2-3 hours per day on top of an 8–10 hour work shift can make the employee lose interest in the job more quickly. In addition to saving time, this setting also helps save a lot of resources other than time, which are utilised daily while working from home.  It reduces spending on meals, transportation, and other incidentals. Simply put, working from home is quite pocket-friendly.

When it comes to productivity, research demonstrates that working from home has actually boosted productivity levels in employees and increased their output. An employer’s freedom to work from home encourages him to finish his job. Additionally, it permits working later than usual, something that not everyone who works in an office can do. Due to the fact that we do not spend the entire day in the office, this schedule also enables us to better balance work and life.

Disadvantages of Working From Home

Although working from home improves work-life balance, it can also make the distinctions between the two hazier. Working from home makes it challenging to establish a clear line between personal and professional activities whereas the physical environment of the office offers clear distinction.  Working from home has no set beginning or ending times, thus one can find themselves working later than usual. Even after the specified office hours have ended, the employer may still have expectations from the workers. Home surroundings, on the other hand, can be very distracting and may require frequent breaks for the employee. As WFH can be somewhat solitary, this setup may not be suitable for everyone’s personality and job.

It becomes more challenging to stay organized and maintain connections with everyone than when working from an office. It is believed that the workplace atmosphere keeps employers inspired and productive. The navigation of working in teams is more challenging than that of working in an office. Since connecting online in a team is a waste of time and effort, team efforts and morale will be at an all-time low. Additionally, not all market vocations are suited to this configuration.

Given everything that has been said so far, it is safe to assume that working from home has both benefits and drawbacks. While the employers can’t seem to stop thinking about the drawbacks of working from home, the employees aren’t quite ready to give up the benefits. It is necessary to take both parties’ requirements into account.

So, you ask, what should be done? We easily know! A mix of the two may and must be used to close the gap and put an end to the “remote work vs office” banter. Employees who prefer to work from home can alternate days at the office and at home. This enables full utilization of both the benefits of working from home and those of working in an office. It fits the needs of both the employers and the employees and offers a much better balance between personal and professional life than either does. You may always use JollyHires job search app to search for employment that offers this kind of flexibility if you’re interested in finding remote jobs, onsite jobs or even hybrid jobs!

Written by JollyHires Editors

JollyHires is dedicated to connecting job seekers and employers for their next big opportunity. Check out our blog for expert advice on job searching, interviews, and more, based on market trends and employment data. Connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram and begin your job search or post a job today!