During the pandemic of 2020, all over the world experienced problems while working from home. And the problem is not that we are not able to communicate online and do our work from home, as we have all the right tools for that – unlimited Wi-Fi, different apps and services that help with our day-to-day collaboration and communication (online chats and video conferencing). But the problem is the lack of live interaction and physical face-to-face proximity, which is very important for our social, physical, mental and emotional well-being. Let’s dive deeper into this matter.
What are the advantages of working in an office? First of all, there are many important jobs that cannot be done online, including manufacturing and many service jobs which require creativity and teamwork. Working in an office creates a sense of community and belonging. When people work together, they create more understanding and empathy. You are more likely to respond favorably to a request face-to-face rather than remotely. Moreover, when working in an office, it’s easier to make decisions in the moment. You also have more face time with senior management, which could increase your chances of being promoted. Office work helps to balance our working, family and private life.
So, what are the pros of remote work (or telework)? Telework gives us more autonomy and flexibility which can be a benefit for motivation and larger productivity. You are not stuck to a certain timetable. It is not necessary to start your working day at 9 o’clock. It can be 10 or 12 a.m., but what is significant is that you must have your tasks and responsibilities completed on schedule and have high productivity and results. Working from home also cuts down on our commute time and helps to control our work environment. Remote (also known as “distributed”) work is a good chance to build a new startup company, especially in the IT domain. You can hire someone who lives in another city or country. A remote software company can hire employees from all over the world, which can be beneficial when growing your business. Talented and intelligent people are equally distributed throughout the world, but opportunities for these people can be unequal. Telework allows people in different timezones to interact online.
But when working remotely we do not often see each other physically. So it’s a double-edged sword. People can easily quit their jobs and go to work for competing companies. So how do we balance our own work, social, and personal life, as well as retain talented people? We can choose days to meet in the office to collaborate. We can also organize team building activities to ensure a sense of satisfaction, involvement, and belonging for employees. Your team members, even those who chose to work remotely, will cherish the opportunity to spend time with their colleagues. At the end of the day, it’s up to you to decide what kind of work to choose depending on your personality.
