Working From Home
On the 19th July in the UK, regulations surrounding Covid-19 have started to ease. This has meant that people are gradually returning to work and the office. However, during the past year, the world has been shaken by a world pandemic – COVID-19. And has forced a change of dynamics in the workplace: Companies adapted as best as they could, remote communication tools quickly provided solutions and truly changed the ways and workings of a traditional office.
What are the benefits of working from home? Now that restrictions have been lifted, what does it mean for the future?
The future is hybrid.
Studies have shown that while working from home full time can be quite an isolating experience. Having a mixture of working both from home and in the office has proven to be beneficial. With COVID-19 restrictions being lifted, the British Chambers of Commerce announced that 66% of businesses said they will continue to offer some remote working. This is not surprising as many people enjoy the flexibility that remote working gives them. Working from home also means not getting stuck in traffic, less distraction from the workplace, as well as having the possibility to create a custom environment that suits your needs at home and work-life balance, benefitting the employee’s welfare and reducing stress.
What about the negative impacts of working alone?
An excess of everything is bad. Working from home five days a week or more can be a very isolating experience. In fact, a study showed that more than 67% of remote workers felt disconnected from their co-workers. It can also be difficult when you need to quickly communicate with your colleagues and technical difficulties arise. This can translate into less teamwork, which can also make it more difficult to solve problems. Additionally, anyone with children or pets can find the experience of working from home quite challenging.
Balance is key:
As of today, big corporations such as Google and local businesses (such as ourselves!) alike are deciding to follow a hybrid model. This is because studies have shown that keeping an in-between with three days working in the office and two from home kept employees and employers happy. It makes for a more flexible business model, which takes into consideration workers needs.
Because working from home can be challenging, we encourage you to download our Toolbox Talks “Working From Home” and “Lone Working”. They were designed to refresh your knowledge and to be a helpful source of support when you need it.
