Imagine that your couch is your office chair. Your hallway serves as your commute. Your entire pantry is in your snack drawer. Consider it a dream? 

It all came to reality when coronavirus took over. Working from home was the only resolution. As the pandemic was over many companies resumed working from the office but some of the companies are still following the work-from-home model. Does work from home well?

Let’s discuss its advantages and disadvantages of it.

Advantages of working from home for employees

1. Flexibility and agility – Working from home allow for greater flexibility in scheduling. Employees may be better suited and more willing to work flexible hours, such as earlier or later in the day or even on the weekends if they are no longer confined to an office. This could assist you in meeting specific business needs, such as when dealing with clients who are located in different time zones.
2. Enhanced employee retention – Since working from home gives employees more flexibility, it can help them meet childcare needs, cut down on travel time, and fit work into their personal lives. Staff who are permitted to work from home will also feel more trusted by their employer, which can greatly increase staff loyalty.
3. Improved health and happiness of employees- Working from home eliminates the need for a stressful commute for your staff members. These kinds of time savings also enable employees to benefit their health more by getting sound sleep, spending more time with their families, exercising, or cooking healthier meals.
4. Financial Advantages – In normal times, businesses had many other costs in addition to paying their employees, including electricity, rent, elevator maintenance costs, security system maintenance costs, etc. Therefore, it can be said that one of the key advantages of remote work that businesses have experienced is a decrease in extra costs.
5. Fewer absences due to illness– Employee leaves are decreased, which is another benefit of remote work. Working from home makes employees happier and more energized, which reduces the risk of burnout affecting their immune system.

Disadvantages of employees working from home

Not everyone is comfortable 

It’s possible that not everyone’s personality or skill set is suited for working from home. Some workers might appreciate the routine and structure that an office setting offers. Some employees might prefer face-to-face communication with coworkers and find that receiving direct guidance from their manager is very helpful in completing tasks and reaching goals. Additionally, not everyone’s home life will merge well with working from home. For example, some people may have young children who may not know when to respect boundaries and disrupt their workday. Some people might not have the available space to set up a suitable dedicated working area.

Staff members feel alone

Individuals working from home may experience a disconnect from their coworkers and the organization as a whole that an office environment does not. The absence of face-to-face interaction with friends and coworkers is one of the biggest drawbacks of working from home.

When we communicate with other people, we feel more connected; however, when we don’t, loneliness and a sense of isolation set in.

Troublesome performance monitoring

It may be difficult to monitor and control the output of home workers. Furthermore, different personalities might respond to monitoring in various ways. It can be extremely difficult for employers to keep track of performance in remote working situations for some job profiles.

Distractions at home

Even though working from home eliminates some office distractions, if a worker doesn’t have a sufficiently quiet home office. They risk being easily distracted by household noises or other members of their household.

Staff Development Issues

You might find it difficult to maintain staff development and skill upgrades when employees are not physically close to one another. 

Data security risk

When employees work remotely, data security issues could be more likely to occur. Both the need for staff to access servers remotely and the risk of laptops being taken home have increased. That can be a problem for many organizations.

Adverse effects on mental health

If your employee is unable to establish a routine that works for them, finds it difficult to draw a line between work and home life, or feels isolated, the decision to work from home may have a negative effect on their mental health.

Lower team spirit

When employees work from home alone, it can be more difficult to maintain a sense of teamwork. Some personality types benefit from working remotely while others do not. Some people might prefer face-to-face interactions with coworkers.

Frequent Technical challenges

You need to be aware that depending on where your employees live, they might not have access to broadband speeds that would allow them to perform their jobs efficiently, for example, rural broadband is frequently very slow. Technical issues are frequently faced by the employee and this also impacts the daily tasks of the organization.  

In conclusion, “Work from Home” has many advantages and disadvantages that should be taken into consideration before making the decision to work from home. Some of the advantages include not having to commute, more flexible hours, and the ability to work in comfortable clothing. Some of the disadvantages include distractions from family and friends, feeling isolated, and difficulty separating work and home life.