With the limited exception of very few places, almost the entire world has experienced some form of lockdown throughout 2020 due to COVID-19. At first, different countries coped by offering schemes to pay workers a percentage of their wages in light of not being able to go to work. Those who were able to work from home were generally encouraged to do so, although, from country to country, the rules varied. What we have learnt is that much of the global workforce has had to at least entertain the idea of working from home, if not actually follow through and work from their spare room.
Today, we’re going to look at some of the main pros and cons of working from home — and feel free to take the time to check out this post on the future of work for further information.
Working from home: the upside
Your first day of working from home is going to feel a little strange. With no visual indication that you are actually working, you could feel like you need to overcompensate in terms of making conversation with the boss and with colleagues. But don’t worry, this feeling will soon fade. Let’s look at some of the pros of working from home…
The gift of time (and money)
No commute means you can wake up and start work. For some people, this can mean saving 1-2 hours in the morning. This will also mean saving money on your commute — whether you took public transport or whether you paid to keep your car running, these expenses are instantly removed.
Work to your own schedule (to an extent)
After you have completed your catch up calls for the day, you may find that your time can be better spent by rearranging tasks. While this isn’t always possible in an office where colleagues may question your methods where they can see you are not doing things in the agreed order, working from home offers the cover you need to switch it up.
Own clothes day (every day)
Some offices have strict dress codes. Others are more casual. Either way, you need fresh clean clothes, five times per week. Working from home means saying goodbye to dressing up — you’ll spend most of the day in your casualwear (maybe even PJs), donning only perhaps the occasional smart looking short/blouse for video calls.
… and the downside (the complete opposite to everything we just covered)
Now let’s take a closer look at the downside of working from home…
You’ll miss leaving the house
It’s true. The commute was never too much fun, and it was expensive, but it was outside. Staying in all day, slouched at your laptop, is only going to give you a bad back.
You’ll miss people
Working to your own schedule away from prying eyes is fun for a bit. But, ultimately, lack of human contact can lead to a lack of self-esteem, depression, and loneliness.
You’ll miss getting dressed
There’s something about getting dressed that sets your mind up for the day. Without it, you may start to feel a little forgotten and less important than usual.
As you can see, working from home has the potential to be something you love … but there is undeniable a more sinister side that comes with time. It ultimately comes down to personal preference but going forward, having the option to work from the office or at home could be the ideal way forward for most employees.
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