Now that many of us have started returning to work, it will be interesting to see which elements of the lockdown we carry forward when it comes to our working practises. It’s also heightened the ongoing debate over which is better – working from home or in the office? Here we take a look at the pros and cons of both.
Home/remote working.
What’s good?
The most obvious upside to working from home is arguably the reduction in cost to both employee and employer. Employees can save on time and money on expensive commuting as well as any additional spends they may make on food throughout the day. The figures quickly add up. For employers, the savings can add up significantly, And not just financially. Companies that offer a flexible approach to working typically retain their staff for longer, therefore saving time on labour intensive recruitment drives.
When it comes to your employees, aside from the savings they’ll make on travel and day to day spending, the comfort of working at home can be an added bonus. However, even the employee benefits tend to benefit you as an employer. For example, some workers find that they’re more comfortable taking their lunch break without feeling the pressure from colleagues to stay at their desks and not switch off. This in turn, can lead to more productive working hours without the chance of your employees becoming burnt out.
What’s not so good?
Working from home can be isolating. There’s no one to bounce ideas around with and it can be harder to foster colleague relationships. This isolation can be extremely demotivating and have a detrimental effect on productivity. Sometimes, people find themselves distracted by the lure of the TV or domestic chores as opposed to focusing on work.
On the flip side, those who experienced increased productivity at home can then often find it hard to switch off at the end of the day. All too often home workers find themselves checking your work emails late into the evening. That’s a sure-fire way to skew the work-life balance.
Office working.
What’s good?
The main selling point for the office (particularly after the last few months) is definitely the change of scenery! If you’re lucky enough to have a designated home office that you can shut the door on at the end of the working day, this might not be so much of an issue. But for those who have been slogging at their kitchen table, the different setting can make a huge difference to their mental state.
For the more sociable among us, the office is a hub of activity and inspiration. The ability to bounce ideas back and forth between colleagues is a huge draw for workers, particularly in creative industries. Then there’s support that colleagues and management can offer when things aren’t going so well. At the end of the day, there’s nothing quite like good office camaraderie.
The other angle is of course that at the office, your employees tend to have the equipment and supplies that they need. Even if they’re not as good as they good be, provisions are generally better than a makeshift home printer.
What’s not so good?
While there’s a proportion of employees that walk or cycle to work, commuting to and from the office can not only be expensive, but very tiring. The drag of the daily commute is often one of the first things mentioned by those who have decided to work from home.
Then there’s the fact that depending on the company, the office can be a distracting place. Particularly in large companies, people are constantly coming and going and pulling their colleagues in different directions. Again, productivity can soon suffer due to chats, impromptu meetings and last minute tasks being dropped in the laps of already overburdened staff.
Fundamentally, wherever your employees choose to work should be about where they show themselves to be the most productive and comfortable. At AFP, we truly believe that the most important thing when it comes to this debate is choice. Employees should be able to choose where their most effective working environment is, and crucially, have the tools to do their job to the best of their ability.
Our flexible plans allow for equipment to be moved between the home and the office with no hassle. If you’d like to find out more about how we can ready your team for their working future, contact us today.