The outbreak of coronavirus has forced every business to shift online worldwide and operate from remote working. This is adopted to keep employees safe and healthy at home while keeping operations running. WFH was always present there and had already been in place, however, the COVID-19 situation is a trial for companies and employees. Working from home is also known as telecommuting or remote office but no matter what it’s called it means working while sitting at home at your comfortable place other than a company’s cabin or an office chair without any change in productivity.
It’s been more than a year now since employees working from home with the same productivity and that is why many companies have decided to adopt this on a regular basis even after this pandemic gets over. It can be proven beneficial for both employees and the company. But still, there are many companies and employees who think that WFH is not suitable for them thus, according to them their productivity has been declining. They are struggling with finding a balance between work and personal lives. They are not being able to focus on their work fully because of the household chores and some other reasons.
Let’s talk about how good or bad it is to work from home for employees.
THE GOOD –
- No alarms – Employees are happy because now they don’t have to wake up two hours before office time. There is no stress of bathing, getting ready for the office, or preparing a meal. At work from home, the first thing they do is log in and don’t have to think about switching off the alarm.
- Work in pyjamas – Nobody feels comfortable in formals; pyjamas or lowers are the best!! And nobody can deny this. Everybody once in their lifetime has wished to wear pyjamas in the office, Covid19 has made this possible. We all feel super comfortable in pyjamas and this increases the satisfaction level of every employee.
- Timely login – Earlier, most of the employees had to travel and cover long distances due to which they used to reach late at the office and couldn’t log in on time. But now, they can easily log in on time.
- Save more money – To reach the office many people have to travel either by metro or cab in metropolitan cities. Now, due to lockdown, they don’t have to travel and can save that money and use it for other purposes.
- Increased productivity – Employees can work for long hours and they can work more quietly at home as there is no interference from other employees like in the office. They can focus on their performance without comparing themselves which leads to more productivity.
- Increased satisfaction – Office employees feel motivated and satisfied because they can look after their family members and themselves more in this way. Employees are highly satisfied with this option of working from home because they can get some time for themselves and don’t feel tired.
- More time with family – In the time when people are losing their close ones. It is the time to hold them and spend most of the time with families, friends, etc. WFH is letting people stay with their family and spend quality time with them.
- Mental peace – Nobody likes office pressure, so finding a peaceful corner at your home and working without any interruptions can really help employees to work with peace that helps people to maintain their mental peace which is the most important thing during these times.
THE BAD –
- Technical problems – Sometimes, there are people who don’t have laptops or systems on which they have to work or some lack uninterrupted broadband connections. There are people who don’t know how to use software like zoom, skype, or any other applications thus, WFH becomes an obstacle for these employees.
- Communication gap – For effective work, communication is necessary which is not always possible every time. There is an absence of face-to-face communication in WFH and online or phone calls can sometimes lead to miscommunications.
- WFH doesn’t work for everyone – There are people who feel more motivated when they come to the office as it makes them more disciplined and teaches them time management. WFH has made people lazier that led to more pending works.
- No after office chills – Workplace used to keep people distracted from home tensions. After office gossip, fun, and chilling with friends or colleagues are no doubt missed by everyone. At work from home, seeing those limited people 24 hours in front of you can make you feel irritated sometimes.
- No physical movement – Travelling makes people fit, but now as they have to work and sit at one place for long hours at home, it leads them to live an unhealthy lifestyle. For most people, their favourite workplace is their bed, on which they lie full day that makes them more depressed and less confident.
Conclusion
According to the Martec Group study, only 24% of employees felt motivated and satisfied by working from home and there are more people who felt dissatisfied, or more stressed. Working from home does bring a lot of benefits for employees but still, many researchers think that it is not an ideal work environment for employees. Moreover, all people have a different experience, that depends on their situations. It is not sure if WFH is bad or good, but yes, this is the only option we have till this pandemic ends. Until then, stay safe and stay healthy!