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Last Updated on August 15, 2022 by coffeepo
Imagine this: You’re sitting at home in your pajamas and sipping tea while working on your couch. Between meetings, you cook your lunch and blast your favorite songs while working away. Now, you don’t have to commute two hours just to sit in a stuffy cubicle where the coffee is terrible and the pantry is out of snacks.
It sounds like the dream setup, doesn’t it?
The COVID-19 pandemic has restructured our jobs, turning what used to be a rare perk into a full-time arrangement. But as we start to come back into the office, is a remote work policy still the best option? Or is in-person work making a comeback?
In 2020, many jobs made the switch from cubicles to living rooms and conferences to Zoom calls. This 2022, the trend continues, but more companies are now open to RTO (return to office) policies. There are three models on the table for businesses:
- Remote work: Employees can continue working from remote, out-of-office setups. Twitter, for example, allows employees to work remotely permanently.
- Hybrid work: Employees must return to in-person work a few days a week. Amazon requests employees to work from the office around 3 days a week.
- In-Office work: Employees must return to the office full-time—companies like Goldman Sachs plan to return to full-time in-office work once restrictions allow it.
Your work setup significantly impacts your performance, not just in terms of personal comfort but also productivity. Consider whether your company’s arrangement is optimal for you—whether an in-person or remote work policy best suits your workflow.
Here are the benefits and disadvantages of working from home.
Work From Home: The Pros and Cons
These comparisons are primarily made against working from in the office instead of a hybrid setup. Weigh these benefits against these disadvantages before deciding whether working from home is a better option for you than a more structured office setup.
Benefits of Remote Work
There are plenty of advantages to working remotely, but we’ll list some of our favorites. These are some of the best reasons to consider a remote work policy for your next job—or your current one.
- New opportunities
Working remotely could actually let you improve your CV because you can apply to a ton of different jobs. You could work for companies based in a different city or a different country altogether. This opens up a slew of new work opportunities that wouldn’t usually be available if they required in-person work.
- Lower personal costs
No need to pay for a commute, a car, parking, or even a whole professional wardrobe. You can eliminate costs that used to be a requirement for in-office work. They may seem like small individual expenses, but when cut out of your budget, the saving seriously adds up.
- Location independence
You can work from anywhere—literally. As long as you meet all the technical requirements for work, such as a consistent internet connection, you can work from any place you wish! Coffee shop, couch, cabana… You could even work during a staycation, if you wanted.
Now, ‘digital nomads’ are trending and more people are travelling while working fully remote jobs. You may not be always able to travel to different countries depending on restrictions, but you can still find places to check out just a car ride away.
- More environmentally friendly and sustainable
More people working from home means fewer people on the roads or public transport. That’s less traffic congestion and air pollution overall—the same as if 600,000 cars didn’t drive for a year.
It also means less paper and lower electricity bills since offices don’t have to spend on printing, air conditioning, heating, and lighting. Just one company can save up to $11,000 per year per employee who works from home.
- Higher productivity
You can make better use of your time when you’re not spending three hours a day on a commute or stuck in unnecessary meetings. With fewer distractions than in a typical workplace, you perform more efficiently. In fact, 51% of telecommuters say they’re more productive working from home.
Disadvantages of Remote Work
It’s not all easy-peasy with working from home, though. There are downsides to remote work policies that may sway your decision. Here are 5 reasons remote work isn’t for everyone.
- Inconsistent work environment
You may have location independence, but that doesn’t mean your work area is optimal. Your home situation may not be ideal for holding meetings and calls, while coffee shops are noisy and chaotic. If you don’t have a dedicated workspace in your house, achieving a consistent work environment can be challenging.
- Increased connectivity demands
You’re absolutely reliant on your internet connection, and it has to be stable. Without access to your office’s secure network, you’ll need to pay for your own unless your company compensates it. Otherwise, you won’t be able to connect with your virtual workspaces (or send coworkers funny memes).
- Fewer social connections
A remote work policy means we’re all a little more isolated from our co-workers. Sure, we can message them on Slack or Discord, but it’s still different from seeing them in the break room or going out for lunch together. There’s a camaraderie that comes with working in close contact that you just can’t get from working from home.
- More work-life permeation
Without the distance that a commute and an office setup provide, you may find that the boundaries between work and life are more permeable. If you don’t set strict work hours for yourself, you may find that you’re overdoing things because of the extra time on your hands.
It’s also more difficult to maintain boundaries when work is at home since there’s no “break” between being in an office and being in our own space.
- Logistical difficulties
Coordinating different departments or teams can be complicated when everyone’s working from home. You need to sync schedules and get everyone online at the same time—and then into the same online call.
Remote vs. In-Person: Which Wins?
So, is a remote work policy better than in-person work? There’s no straightforward answer. There are just as many advantages as there are disadvantages. And while they don’t cancel each other out, they all require consideration. In the end, you need to assess your personal priorities and decide what you want out of your work life.
Here you have the pros and cons of remote work. Now you’re armed with the tools, go out and do it! See you in the winner’s circle.
