Working from Home VS Working from the Office

Let’s face it, if the last year has taught us anything, it’s that we seriously need to reconsider the traditional model of working from an office. There are definitely those who disagree, and businesses who certainly thrive more from a communal office working environment, but the expectation that it works best for everyone certainly needs to be addressed. Hybrid remote work has also gotten a lot more popular over the last few years.

Commuting

This has to be one of the most serious considerations for any business, right? Regardless of how many people work in your business, the issues of travel and commute will pop up on at least a weekly basis. The morning commute, or the 5pm drive home on a Friday is a familiar stress that brings most people to frustration at the end of it. And that isn’t even considering the parents who have to manage the school-run alongside their work commute. This is clearly a string in the bow for the home office camp – being able to start work without managing those external stresses is a huge bonus.

Communication

However, although COVID-19 saw a huge increase in the efficiency of using platforms like Microsoft Teams or Zoom, communication will always be easier from the office. Professionally, being able to speak to co-workers, employers or employees face-to-face will always be easier than through a computer. Whether it is internet connectivity issues at home, a screaming child in the background, loud street noises, or technical issues slowing you down there is a guarantee that communication from a home office won’t always go to plan. The office definitely is the superior place when considering that something is bound to get in the way of business communication from home, regardless of how well you plan for it.

Office Environment vs. Home Environment

There are constraints to both a home office and a traditional one. But setting up a home office that is efficient will allow for certain flexibilities that standard office spaces can’t provide. Being able to eat your own food, avoid traffic, and work in the comfort of your own home opens up a lot more time to get working without interruption. But obviously that relies on certain external factors not being present. If you have a home shared with family, then unforeseen distractions may get in the way of an otherwise productive day. Working in a traditional office may seem like a drag to get to some days, but being in a productive and professional environment where you can bounce off the energy of co-workers will often make the day go by faster and make you more efficient.

Financial Costs

If you are self-employed, and you alone manage financial concerns of a business, then working from home has incredible benefits. On a very small budget, you can set up an efficient workspace that you feel comfortable in. Cutting down on petrol costs, lunches, and the rent of an office space will save you incredible amounts of money in the long term. If, however, you are working in a business of multiple people then you also need to consider weighing the financial benefits against the productivity of the employees. Even if you paid to set up your employees home offices, the cost would still be a fraction of the price of setting up a whole office space. But then you have to address how well the team would work together, despite their lack of proximity, each employee’s ability to be productive from home, and just because you can become energised and productive from home – could you say the same for the rest of your employees?

Some people may prefer a mixture of both. Maintaining an office can be extremely expensive, especially if your employees are not always in the office. Therefore, there are lots of office spaces that are available on an ad-hoc basis like the hybrid working app by Autonomous which allows you to book a desk at an agile office.