Introduction
Working with your mates sounds like an ideal set-up in theory, but in practice, does this social workspace benefit us?
As more and more of us join the remote workforce, it can be tempting to meet up without friends and spend a workday together. If you can all work wherever you want, why not enjoy time together?
Many have tried this technique, and there are varied thoughts on the matter. From social workers that love to chat as they go to introverts that prefer to work alone, there’s no one work setting that benefits us all.
Interested in whether you can work with friends? Keep reading to find out the pros and cons of this remote work trend.
Rise Of Remote & Freelance Work
Though remote work is still a new concept, some sources predict that by the end of 2022, almost 25% of U.S. professionals will be working from home. This is a significant statistic, and it’s hard to imagine a quarter of the workforce out of the office, but this is where current trends are headed.
Since the coronavirus pandemic, many employees have left their jobs to pursue freelance routes. Tired of being capped at a specific salary and sick of being micromanaged, thousands of workers set up freelance paths.
The rise of freelance and remote careers means we have more workers away from the office than ever. This leaves a lot of professionals in control of their environments, so there’s no wonder many want to work together from home offices.
Group Work Sessions
But how can you work with friends from home?
Many professionals need a laptop and a good Wi-Fi connection to complete their tasks. This means that they can efficiently work from a friend’s house, co-working space, or even a cafe. Instead of sitting alone at home, many remote employees choose to meet up and complete their 9-5 together from a communal location.
Remember meeting up with friends after school to do your homework? The situation is the same, except the school assignments are replaced with corporate tasks!
Benefits Of Working With Friends
Collaboration and social environments always come with positive benefits! Here are some of the top benefits you’ll experience when you sit down to a day of work with friends.
Collaborating
An essential bonus of working with others is the ability to collaborate. Whether you’re in the same role or industry, you can easily give your friends advice or tips when you’re together. Often, it can be helpful to get the perspective from someone who works in a different department, broadening your ideas.
Motivation
Another popular reason to work with friends is for motivation. Many employees find themselves motivated by others, and working alone at home leaves them distracted. Simply, when you see others working, you feel pressured to get stuff done too!
Working together isn’t always about work! Many employees report meeting up with friends to work for the social element. Instead of sitting alone during breaks and lunchtimes, you’re with your friends, and you can easily take your mind off the job. This is a great way to prevent burnout when working from home.
Change Of Scenery
If you work with friends in a different location from your home office, you get a regular change of scenery. Remote workers often discover that they get tired and burnt out working in the same home seven days a week. Mixing your location between cafes, friends’ houses, and co-working spaces adds variety to the week.
Drawbacks Of Working With Friends
Depending on your working style and job, there may be some downsides to sitting down to work with friends. Here are some common complaints about social work.
Distractions
While working in a group motivates some, others find it distracting. If you know you work best in silence or alone, a group workspace might put you off your tasks. Try to limit your time working with others if you find that your workflow decreases.
Competition
Another complaint about working with friends is that some feel an underlying competition. We all have different jobs, responsibilities, and incomes, which is normal. However, when you spend your working day with friends that you’d usually see on the weekend, you might feel awkward.
Different Schedules
Finally, many of us work a 9-5 but use a completely different schedule than others. For example, you might work on tasks for most of the day, but your friend may spend the morning on calls. When your schedules don’t align, it might signify that working together is a no-go.
The Takeaway
Remote and freelance work has given employees a new lease of life. From flexible hours to a sense of freedom, many don’t want to return to the office. Working with friends is just one option out of many for remote workers. Is this a style you would try? Hopefully, our article has helped you decide whether this route is for you!
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