Is Work From Home Right for Your Business in 2024?
December 18, 2023 4:40 pmWorking from home can be either good news or bad news depending upon who you are, and since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, companies still aren’t sure what to do about whether or not a return to the office is the right choice for their company and employees. According to a report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than one-third of companies in a wide range of industries have increased the amount of employees they allow to work from home. The same report also states that 60% of companies that hired folks to work from home are going to keep those employees.
But how does a company decide whether or not telework is right for their employees? There are a number of pros and cons to working from home and here are the major ones to consider.
Pros
No Need to Commute
By the very fact that a person is working from home, they’ll save hundreds if not thousands of dollars on transportation. Many folks who work from home say not having to commute is one of the best parts. As a business owner, you could also save money since you don’t have to cover the cost of public transportation.
Less Distraction, Fewer Interruptions, More Productivity
In theory, working from home is easier for some than others. Being by yourself allows you to cut out the noise and focus on the task at hand whether it’s writing a blog post or sitting in on a meeting or simply responding to emails. By limiting interruptions from coworkers or the ability to chit-chat with folks in the office, you are more likely to get more done.
More Time with Family
Arguably one of the most attractive elements to working from home is spending more quality time with family members. Especially for parents with young children, this can mean more time to bond with a new baby or simply to be home more. How lovely is it to work in your virtual office while your child works in their virtual classroom?
Cons
No Separation Between Work and Leisure Time
One of the biggest downsides to working remotely is knowing when to put the work away at the end of the day. The ambiguity of work time and leisure time can be difficult to navigate, and it can feel like you’re always working. It’s also possible that a person could feel they’re working around the clock between professional and household labor.
Less Contact with Co-Workers
Even though it can be distracting to have co-workers interrupt you during the day, a healthy company culture is hugely important. Especially in 2023, now that the world has opened up again, being in the same room with other people is something we have to get used to again to a certain extent.
Working from home often means being in front of a screen all the time and though it’s lovely to spend more time at home with family, that means you sacrifice quality time developing relationships with your colleagues.
Self-Discipline and Staying Focused Is Hard
Sometimes being in person can help you stay motivated. When you’re at home, you’re more likely to wear comfy clothes to answer your emails, or perhaps you’ll only wear a nice top when you have to get on the phone with a client. Being at home can incentivize you to sit on the couch in front of the TV with your laptop. When you’re at work it’s assumed you feel obligated to wear nicer clothes. You could also feel more motivated by your coworkers to get all of your work done because in that situation you’re not alone.
Categorised in: remote working