Most companies have evaluated the remote work pros and cons, considering whether to switch to this option permanently. In fact, many employees would be comfortable and feel productive doing remote work. However, there are others who prefer going to the office with claims that it makes them more productive.
According to an Owl Labs report, 77% of employees stated they would be happier with a work from home option. This study implies that productivity is more efficient in organizations that allow remote workers.
Now, think about collaboration on projects that require teamwork. How would you go about that from home or wherever you choose to do remote work? We guess you’re thinking of video conferencing and other tech apps that make it possible. But let’s be frank, it takes extra effort to make collaborations work over distances. Also, many employees thrive off the personal connections they have with their co-workers according to this study by Indeed, and this can’t be gotten from remote working conditions.
So instead, why don’t we have a combination of remote and office work in our workplaces? A hybrid solution would reduce the negatives of both working setups. There are several opportunities that a hybrid approach to workplace methods can provide for you.
In this article, you have an opportunity to explore and review both the office and remote work pros and cons, while learning about hybrid working conditions.
What is Office vs. Remote Work?
If you’re working outside of the traditional office space, then you’re doing remote work. As a remote worker, you can work from anywhere you feel comfortable. According to global workforce analytics, working from home half of the week can reduce greenhouse emissions by 58 million tons every year.
Remote working has always existed, though in a smaller capacity. Some of the most prominent job positions take up remote work, especially in tech. We saw web developers and graphic designers, virtual assistants, and more take up remote work early.
There are also several resources for remote employees ranging from project management tools to time management resources. This way, employees have all the information they need to do a good job from home.
Today, many more people are taking up working remotely. After evaluating the remote work pros and cons, a reduction or complete removal of the need to commute has made the life of employees easier.
Remote Work Benefits
When employees are engaged in a good employee experience, they feel more motivated and productive, and are more likely to complete their projects successfully and achieve better results. These engaging employees will be willing to go the extra mile to ensure their project will be released on time and successfully.
Balancing work and personal time
There is a better work-life balance when you can do remote work. Before remote work started becoming more popular, employees found it more difficult to enjoy life and focus on work simultaneously.
For example, instead of spending a hectic time in traffic coming home tired, you now have easy access to family and friends. Self-care and relaxation times are almost snuffed out for many employees working in the office.
Instead of enjoying moments with friends and family, they prefer recovering from a tough week-long schedule. This recovery is due to the stress at work and the tediousness of commuting back home. According to statistics on Apollo technical, 72% of people consider work-life balance when searching for jobs and considering remote work pros and cons.
So it’s not a miracle that many people are for remote work rather than sitting in a work cubicle for several hours. Flexibility is a major reason why many people want to do remote jobs.
Improves Employee Engagement
It’s rare to find people who have office jobs feeling alive outside of office hours. Even if they do, they are probably trying to keep up. The well-being of employees usually concerns their mental health and wellbeing. The stress that comes from pressures at work can take a heavy toll on us.
For example, having a boss at work breathing down your neck wouldn’t be possible if you were working from home. And getting instructions remotely is usually more subtle than the office experience allows. And if you have to be in the office every day, it is a vicious, almost unending cycle.
Improving one’s mental health is a good reason to consider remote work pros and cons, isn’t it?
Cost of managing businesses
It’s not only employees that bear the brunt of established working methods. The employers also share in the gains and losses of having employees work in the office. One of the most prominent issues that office work exhibits is the cost of spaces for every employee. With less equipment and furniture, business owners can save space on the cost of running.
Sometimes saving space can reduce the cost of renting. According to this study by Global workplace analytics, employers saved $11,000 on average on remote employees.
Remote Work Pros and Cons
In addition to the above, here are the remote work pros and cons:
Remote Work Pros
- Favorable work-life balance
- Cost-effectivity
- Good employee experience
- Better productivity
- Hiring more diverse talent without constraint
Remote Work Cons
- Loneliness
- Struggle with collaboration
- Lack of physical meetings
- Poor onboarding
Office Work Benefits
Now let’s talk about the pros and cons of office work and the benefits of working in the office.
Specialized Workspaces
Despite the convenience of working remotely, office spaces are customized for work. Considering that many remote workers do it from home, this is a plus for the office work style.
Except for people who invest in creating workspaces in their homes, office spaces cannot be replaced. An office space improves focus that allows for a high level of productivity.
The office spaces will allow workers to make the most of the tools provided by employers. On the other hand, remote workers might have to make an initial investment to make their workspace convenient.
Teamwork and easy collaboration
Although various applications and collaboration tools now make work communications easy, having a physical presence is unique. The influence of social skills improves the creativity that comes from office collaborations.
After evaluating remote work pros and cons, working remotely lacks the social factor.
Ease of conducting meetings
Because of the proximity of employees to each other in the office, meetings are easier. The possibility for employees to assemble on time is crucial. Office work requires an opening time when everyone is meant to be available. Hence, employees can get together in time for the meeting to start.
It is safe to say that office workers save time on collaboration. Seeing remote work pros and cons, it can be more difficult to get people together with this option. When you are with other team members and discuss how projects can move forward, the chances of coming to a favorable conclusion sooner are high.
With physical presence also comes better communication and understanding of other collaborating members.
Better networking
Since the office space brings all employees together, the office becomes a business hub. Hence, it becomes not just a space for employees but customers or clients of the organization or business. Being a hub of activity, creating budding professional relationships is high. Some people have testified to meeting one new person almost every day at their workplaces.
According to the top HR outsourcing companies, these meetings are usually beneficial. And the benefits could be personal or professional. It contributes to an enjoyable working experience knowing that you can bump into a life-changing opportunity anytime at your place of work.
Despite all these good reasons, a couple of things will put employees off about it when comparing office and remote work pros and cons. For instance, it can be intrusive to work in an office space. Hence, privacy is not possible for employees that prefer it.
Also, there is no way for people to change environments while they work. All work would have to be done in the office. And sometimes, people need to change their environments to boost productivity. So, rather than working at home, you can decide to take your work to a more secluded space where you can focus and give your best to the task at hand.
Office Work Pros and Cons
Here are the pros and cons of working in an office:
Office Work Pros
- Adequately equipped workspace
- Better collaboration on teamwork
- Ease of conducting meetings
Office Work Cons
- Stress or anxiety
- Invasion of privacy
- Distraction from work partners
Hybrid Working Model
Due to the office and remote work pros and cons, a holistic solution has come up in the form of the hybrid working model. The hybrid model combines aspects of remote and office work to boost performance, flexibility, and collaboration.
Hybrid work allows employees to work from home, in the office, or on the go, which helps retain employees and employ high-quality personnel. Now employers can reap the benefits of having an office space that is optimized for a hybrid model. This means that they maximize the cost of physical spaces and still have optimum collaboration among their employees.
Hybrid Model Benefits
With a hybrid model, employees can have a better work-life balance. They would be able to give more attention to their well-being and have time for family and friends. Now employees don’t have to worry about the extra cost of gas and clothing as much as when they would be in a full office style employment set up.
Also, you can eliminate the barriers that prevent seamless communication with remote work. Employees can avail themselves of one-on-one meetings. This can be for collaborative reasons, onboarding, or to have an effective progress report meeting.
Actually, many of the biggest companies have gone hybrid and achieved amazing results, such as happier employees, increased productivity and diversity, as well as improved morale and engagement.
Moving to a Hybrid Work Model
By now, you have a good idea about office and remote work pros and cons. You also know how crucial the disadvantages can be to your work life and productivity. This means that neither office work nor remote work can bring optimal satisfaction eventually. A lot of statistics point towards happiness and improvement in productivity as the world shifts towards remote work.
So, after looking at both office and remote work pros and cons, you’re probably thinking of switching to hybrid work, right? Well, it’s important to do it right. Learn how to make the most of your hybrid-remote work model with The Practical Guide to Hybrid-Remote work! Find tips and best practices on how to transition to hybrid, as well as expert predictions on what the future of work will look like.
