While the world is exploring various ways to avoid physical contact, working from home has become the new norm. Enforcement of lockdowns and quarantine has resulted in the rejuvenation of working remotely. A growth of 8.2% has been observed in UK company formations, with many businesses being virtual.
Various small businesses have established virtual remote teams. However, is working from the comfort of your own space efficient? Here is everything you need to know about being familiar with remote working.
The Case For Working From Home
Working from home has transformed the lives of many people and businesses to a great extent. Productivity has increased as people have found some relief from the pressures of working at an office. According to recent data, working remotely has brought about the following benefits:
- A 47% rise has been observed in productivity
- Relief to mental health as workers from home take more breaks while working 1.4 days more each month
- Additional work is done while consuming lesser time
- People spend less time procrastinating, according to a survey by Airtasker
- Employees are less distracted due to the absence of other personnel
Amidst the COVID crisis, working virtually has provided a safer environment for employees while allowing them to provide for their families. Moreover, people are maintaining a balanced work-home life. Commute hours are also saved, which means workers can enhance productivity.
However, we do need human contact and connection to stay productive without burnout. That is why many people still lean towards working from the office. Let’s understand the other side to gain a deeper insight.
The Case Against Working From Home
Not all workers have adjusted to the idea of working from home. Many employees are ill-equipped with materials found in offices such as virtually protected internet networks, fast working computers etc. Here are some of the repercussions of working from home:
- Family members interrupting work
- Lack of supervision can lead to underperforming
- According to a survey, 45% of people find it tough to focus on their tasks
- Difficult to maintain cybersecurity due to unreliable internet networks
- Employee access to sensitive documents is limited
The challenges remote employees face due to the pandemic has increased with family and kids being home and demanding attention. Many people do not have a dedicated workspace at home, which affects their productivity negatively. People also face trouble due to bad posture resulting from not having proper office desks and chairs.
Final Verdict
Working from home has allowed businesses to save money on leasing office space, electricity, furniture etc. Many companies support their employees with secure software, allowing them to maintain data security while working remotely. Employees are satisfied and do not fear contracting COVID, which was one of the main reasons for underperformance.
Many challenges faced by workers are technical and easily solvable by initiatives from employers. Remote employees maintain healthier lives and face lesser stress which allows them to work efficiently. Hence, the benefits of working from home outweigh the drawbacks.