Do you remember when the idea of working from home did not exist? The COVID-19 pandemic changed many things for each of us, including our work style and the flexibility it has given. While the majority of us loved working from home for almost two years, businesses are now calling workers back and requesting that they begin working from offices. However, some businesses have decided to completely go into work-from-home mode after seeing the advantages of working remotely for both themselves and their staff. Regardless of the decisions made by organisations, we have listed the five benefits and five drawbacks of working from home for you.
Let’s first list the pros since we just love those!
1. You’re Not Always Exhausted - Weekends Aren’t Everything.
Going to work every day and spending nine long hours outside of the house is exhausting. All of your plans have been pushed to the weekends, and it appears that you live solely for Saturdays and Sundays. You can not only make plans during the week, but also complete chores at your leisure.
2. Saving hours of commute and utilising time to relax or pursue hobbies
Given the number of hours people spend commuting in major cities, this is a significant benefit. Saving that time allows one to relax and spend more time with oneself, family, or even pursue a long-delayed hobby.
3. Saving the Environment, Aren’t we?
Because you are not commuting to work, there are fewer vehicles on the road, resulting in lower greenhouse gas emissions and cleaner, healthier air. Large offices use a tremendous amount of energy. Remote working reduces these because there are fewer rooms to cool and light.
4. The Money Saved on Rent and Commute; Financially More Sustainable.
Most people moved from metro cities to their home cities as a result of work from home. With this change, the majority of people not only saved money on their rent and transportation costs, but also a sizable portion of their salary that is used for home expenses. When working from home, employees merged their household costs with their family members’, which became reduced the overall family expenditure.
5. Fresh Meals All the Time!
Most people order in or bring their own food to work, which means we have our lunch that is prepared at least before six hours. However, at home, you are not only eating fresh meals but since there is no packing or transporting involved, you are consuming a wider variety of foods, as well as consuming less food from outside.
Here’s why we miss office:
1. The Flexibility Really Makes the Lines Between Work and Home Hours Fuzzy.
While work from home gives you to flexibility to work as per your hours and convenience, the lines between the two get blurry. Bosses and their subordinates don’t understand where and when to draw the line which leads to drain out often. Also, if you do not have a dedicated work space at home, it can mess with your mind as disassociating from work at any hour of the day becomes difficult.
2. No Tea Breaks: Lessens Social Interaction
Gossip sessions? Using bathroom breaks as an opportunity to vent? Every cafeteria meal evolving into a picnic? Yes, each of us missed out on it over the past two years. Everything has turned into a lonely celebration, which is boring without colleagues.
Most of our waking hours are spent with our coworkers and teammates. As a result, that component of your social life is lost when you operate remotely. The workplace and a person's employment have a significant impact on their social interactions. Working remotely might occasionally make you feel more alone and have an impact on your mental health.
3. Team Collaborations Reduce
Remember the times when everything was done in teams and brainstorming sessions were held over tea, coffee, or meals? Virtual meetings fall well short of that. We've only recently learned how to work independently and less collaboratively. Project collaboration is no longer enjoyable because it has turned into a hassle.
4. Screen Time Increases Manifold
Now this is a sincere issue we have all encountered. While all out work in office or at home is on screen, our interactions too become a thing of the screen. Once we switch from work to personal mode, we just either switch our screens, which is just straining our eyes. Now that’s not healthy, is it?
5. Physically less active
Whoever working from home is a true couch potato. Our normal bodily activity drastically decreases. There is no need to walk to and from the office, there is no need to stop at the water cooler or lunch room, and there are no actual conference rooms to attend to. All of our favourite snacks are only a room away. No gym to stop at on the way home, either. All of this may result in a sedentary, unhealthy lifestyle.