WHY ARE ORGANIZATIONS RETURNING TO WFO AFTER DECLARING WFH IS THE FUTURE?
Let’s see why the work from home trend became so popular in the first place.
4.7 million People already worked from home even before the pandemic started but now employees were left with no other option but to work from home. It was difficult for the employees to adapt to this module; the rush to give them access to all the tools they’d need to work from home was sudden for many employers. But later everyone settled in. Quickly it became apparent that employees could be productive and focused even when not in the office as 75 percent of employees are less distracted at home
One of the considerable benefits of working from home is flexible working schedules, which results in employees starting and ending their day as they choose, as long as their work is complete and leads to mighty outcomes. It has helped employees in balancing the work life and personal life. WFH also helps having access to a broader range of job opportunities that aren’t limited by geographic location.
Research says that working people spend about 100 hours commuting and 41 hours stuck in traffic each year while travelling back and forth to office and home. This results in increased levels of stress, anxiety and depression work from home helps in saving travel time and allows you to focus on priorities outside of work, like getting extra sleep in the morning, spending more time with family, getting in a workout.
The demands for work from home modules are going to be the future of any organization. But do you think companies can allow all the employees to work from home for all time? However, more than 30 percent of the organizations have already resumed working from office. Let’s find out why?
An office environment is crucial to captivate employees as it contributes a suitable place for team work, social interaction, creativity and learning. Working from home has a plethora of drawbacks. Our house is surrounded with a lot of disturbances while working like children, pets, TV etc. Sometimes we may have low bandwidth and internet connectivity issues while in meeting with clients or colleagues and as a result there is a communication gap. It is difficult especially for the HR department to manage the employees working remotely.
If you’re working from home then finding the right balance between home and work life is difficult to manage. The office helps you with a quicker transition to your work. When you enter a workspace, you tend to leave your personal problems right at the point of entry into work and your focus is more drawn towards work. Moreover, not all jobs are suitable for working from home. Even if you love your job, it’s not healthy to feel like you’re working during every hour of the day.
When working from home, especially over an extended period, people’s networks can shrink considerably to the people they only directly need to work with.
Working from the office gives employees an opportunity to equate with people they may not interact with everyday. These instant conversations while passing through the corridors or at the canteen are hugely valuable. This helps employees to socialize, learn new things and make decisions better.
It is easier to understand people and their emotions face to face than over a screen resulting in more personal conversations where you can really get insight into people’s wellbeing and offer support where needed.
Therefore in my opinion working from the office is better structured and well organized compared to working from home. Employees are bound to work under specific norms, rules and regulations, within a specific time frame, with no disturbance during the working hours and with proper access to office equipments.