Work from home or office?
The year 2020 taught us that as much as we may plan for the future, it remains very unpredictable. No one had imagined that our lifestyles would change so drastically. In fact, we were taken out of our comfort zone to a completely new one that many of us were not accustomed to. What for many was a dream, for others, became a nightmare. Working from home is not easy, it is a very new and different process, and it consists of new habits and spaces. There are people who really enjoy it and work well from home, while there are others who still have not been able to adjust completely. However, I consider that once you get used to working from home, it has many benefits, for example:
- If you live far away, you save a lot of time on transportation.
- You can advance your work in your free time.
- It generates a different discipline.
- It forces you to find a balance between your personal life and your work.
- You learn new work strategies.
- You know platforms to interact with your colleagues.
- You work in comfortable clothes.
- You can sleep a little bit more since you don't have to leave the house on time.
- You have money left over.
- Many more.
On the other hand, there is the human part of us that desires to be social or to have human contact, which I believe to be very valid. Despite the fact that there are so many benefits to working from home, there are different things that need to be addressed and discussed in person, including sensitive work issues in the company. If you have an administrative role or if you are one of those people who prefers explanations in person, working from home may also disadvantage you greatly. There are some ideas that flow better when you work in teams or perhaps, you are one of those people who enjoys the company of your colleagues. Some may feel time goes by quicker while working in the office, and slower while working from home. There are also people whose internet connection may not be the best at home, so they must make the investment of paying for higher speed internet or alternatively, disconnecting other devices to not slow down the wifi. In addition, there may be more distractions from home if you live with children, siblings, parents or pets.
However, as mentioned before, everything is a process, and we must take into consideration that nothing is ever really fully guaranteed in this life. We will never be ready for such sudden changes, we simply must be open to the idea of reinventing ourselves every day, looking for new strategies and not forgetting that we are part of a company made of humans, regardless of the virtual situation.
Home office forever? Or do you prefer the interaction again?
