The Pros and Cons of Employees Working From Home – Employer’s Take

Working from home is slowly becoming the new norm.

However, even before the pandemic began, we saw a huge increase in work from home settings. Thanks to the conveniences brought about by technology, more and more businesses have been opting to have their employees work remotely.

Pre-COVID-19, more than four million people in North America were working from the comfort of their home offices. Since 2020, that number has shot up exponentially; not only due to the flexibility it offers, but also as a vital safety measure.

If you are an employer who is used to having your workforce come to the office on a day-to-day basis, you are likely unfamiliar with the uncharted terrain of having people work remotely. This is why we’re here to help discern the pros and cons of employees working from home: An employer’s guide.

Pros Of Employees Working From Home

Cost-Effectiveness

One of the most obvious benefits of employees working from home would be cost-effectiveness. Without the need to provide a physical workspace or equipment for office employees, companies can save thousands of dollars in expenses every year.

Less Stress Equals Better Decision-Making

Stress is omnipresent in the workplace. From the moment an employee’s alarm goes off early in the morning until they step into their cars and face the daunting sea of slow-moving traffic, pollution, or crowded public transit – stress factors begin to rise before they even reach the office.

Whether you’re an employee or employer, you surely aren’t a stranger to the external aggressors of the daily commute.

On the flip side, working from home provides employees with longer sleeping hours and quick commutes from the bedroom to the home office. By reducing the levels of stress, they are gifted with the opportunity to channel their energy towards making better business decisions, instead of burning themselves out by dealing with unnecessary strain. A clear and calm mind always sees the bigger picture.

Increased Productivity

Research has proven that people who work from home tend to be more productive than their office-bound counterparts. Offering your employees the chance to make the big switch to telecommuting is the springboard to tremendously boosting productivity.

Extending this sense of flexibility benefits both parties because a more comfortable schedule and environment oftentimes equates to happier employees who are more focused, more motivated, and more productive.

Increased Employee Retention

Everyone has a professional and personal life, and more time in the day means that they can give more attention to both sides of the spectrum. Spending hours solely at the office and travelling back and forth in a busy cityscape wastes time that could be geared towards completing work tasks, meeting childcare needs, running errands, recreational activities, and sleep.

As flexibility increases, so does employee retention. Staff who feel trusted by their employers triggers loyalty. Consequently, they are less likely to go job hunting elsewhere to seek flexibility and work requirements that suit their lifestyle.

Cons Of Employees Working From Home

Digital Glitches

The internet is a powerful tool that allows employees to perform tasks from literally anywhere. However, it isn’t perfect, and when connection fails, collaboration gets impeded.

Technology is meant to enable better remote collaboration, but factors such as broadband speed and technical errors could get in the way of your workflow. Additionally, depending on the nature of your business, remote teamwork may not be as effective as face-to-face interactions.

Personal Distractions

Depending on their home-based work environment or work ethic, home-related factors are potential distractions that could veer a person away from his or her workflow. Whether it’s the laundry that needs to be folded, a child that needs attention, a spouse who needs help with the cooking, or a pet that needs walking. If they live in a demanding household or do not know how to allocate their time, working from home would pose a challenge.

The Lack Of Social Interactions

Virtual tools such as Zoom or Google Meet are video communication software solutions that have been thriving more than ever since the onset of the global health crisis. While they supplement remote work settings by providing a semblance of face-to-face collaboration, it is still more like face-to-screen communication.

The lack of social interaction could impact one’s mental health in a negative manner if they don’t know how to cope with it. Feelings of isolation can be alleviated by scheduling informal catch-ups with the team, rather than just work-related meetings. It’s a healthy coping mechanism to just check in on everyone to see how they’re doing as people, especially during these unprecedented times.

Pros and Cons Of Employees Working From Home: Which One Works?

After weighing the pros and cons of employees working from home, we’ve come to a verdict on which one works best: Both.

Working from home works best, but so does working at the office. It’s all because we weigh these pros and cons with our own specific weighing scales. It all depends on the nature of your business and how you handle this new world of remote work.

One way to approach this once the global health status permits, is by meeting the situation halfway; two days working in the office and three days working from home. It’s a perfect balance that benefits both your business and the people that make your business successful.

At AdCulture, we understand that every company is different. That’s why we offer premier recruitment services for companies that are looking to hire superstars in the marketing industry. By first learning about a company’s culture, we are able to find the best candidates for the job. Reach out to our team today to get a closer look at our recruitment services!