Yes the pandemic has undoubtedly changed the way we work. With remote work becoming the norm for many employees, it’s easy to assume that working from home is the best option for everyone. However, while employees may expect to work remotely, it’s important to understand that the office is still the better working environment.
A 2021 Harvard Business Review survey found that employees who worked remotely full-time reported feeling less connected to their colleagues and the company’s culture, and experienced more difficulty collaborating and innovating. In that survey only 14% of employees preferred working from home full-time, while 72% preferred a hybrid model with a mix of in-office and remote work. The survey also found that employees who worked remotely full-time reported feeling less connected to their colleagues and the company’s culture, and experienced more difficulty collaborating and innovating.
Yes of course it depends on the industry, the challenge, the growth stage of the company. But let’s challenge the accepted wisdom: Remote work is often seen as the holy grail of modern working, but is it really all it’s cracked up to be? While working from home certainly has its perks, it can also lead to feelings of isolation, lack of motivation, and difficulty separating work and personal life.
For some categories of work, remote work can be very effectively balanced with in-office working. For instance, roles that require a high level of autonomy and independent work, such as content creation and data analysis, are well-suited to remote work. In such cases, a hybrid model is emerging as the status quo: in-office and remote work. The best of both worlds, offering employees the “heads down” focus of work from home and the “heads together” collaboration opportunities of an office environment.
Reasons why the office is still the best place to work though? First, the office provides a structured environment that helps employees stay focused and on task. Psychologically, simply being around other people working causes work to happen. We are individuals but we are at our core, social animals. Second, opportunities for face-to-face interaction and collaboration with colleagues, obviously lead to better ideas and more effective problem-solving. But what’s often forgotten is that there is observation taking place also. Seeing how peers and managers deal with issues is ambient learning that is absent when alone. Third, the office provides a clear separation between work and personal life, allowing employees to better manage their time and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
The key takeaway here? While remote work may be a desirable option for some employees, it’s important to understand that the office provides benefits that simply can’t be replicated remotely. The key is finding the right balance between remote and in-person work to balance out productivity and employee satisfaction.
