The global pandemic forced companies and corporations around the world to send their employees home. Although working from home is not a new concept it has been going on for many years ever since the internet changed the corporate landscape, but employers are still hesitant to adopt the change. Perhaps because they fear that their employee productivity levels will go down. We are all aware that it’s nearly impossible to monitor employees when they are working outside the office.
No matter what their reasons are, they have to admit that people had been telecommunicating for years. We saw the rise of Digital Nomads in Asia when people realize the freedom the internet could provide. Companies and corporations need to adapt or else they will be left behind.
The recent events connected to the global pandemic pushed employers to trust their people and send them home. For good or ill, working from home is increasingly looking like the new normal. Let’s discuss some of the major advantages and disadvantages of this arrangement.
ADVANTAGES
Flexibility
Working from home enables a boost in flexibility for both employers and employees. When companies don’t require their employees to work inside an office at specific times, employers can take advantage of it by spreading their workforce to include weekends and holidays.
Great flexibility is also something most employees are asking for for a long time. With this new arrangement, employees can do many things aside from their day job. This concept will allow millions of people to get more than one job, which means more money and better financial employee stability.
Loyalty and Trust
Working from home and the convenience that it will provide employees will make them stay longer in one company. Employers know how expensive it can be to train new employees. To see them go after only a few years can impact the company finances negatively. The happier their employees are, the more likely they will stay.
Despite many hesitations, employers find themselves forced to send their employees home to keep them safe from the pandemic. This event may perhaps teach employers to trust their employees on a different level. After perhaps a couple more years of working from home, employers will learn how to finally relax and just let their people help them make their companies and corporations reach new goals and milestones.
Overseas Employees
Internet is now making what a hundred years ago seemed impossible. These days, global companies are employing people from different parts of the world. The Internet provides the all-important link in the communication. Given this technological marvel, people now have the freedom to apply to companies not even located in their home countries. This means a burst of new opportunities for millions of people with internet access. This means a wider recruiting net for companies looking for unique employees who can only be found in certain parts of the world.
This will force more and more companies and corporations around the world to offer work from home options, or else people will gravitate towards employers who offer it.
DISADVANTAGES
Not for Everyone
Believe it or not, not everyone wants the work from home setup. No matter how many employees are burned out in the office, a few would much prefer working inside a traditional office setup. Introverts are more likely to rally behind a permanent work-from-home scheme. They flourish inside their comfort zone. They feel safer at home, so they perform better. Unlike introverts, extroverts thrive in a traditional setup. They get their energy from being around office mates. A lot of extroverts are now having a difficult time working at home.
Some people love the idea of working from home, but they don’t have the workspace at home. Some have young children which can make it difficult for them to focus on the job.
These are only some of the things why working from home is not for everyone.
Supervision Nightmare
Companies and corporations around the world are worried that without close supervision, their employees will not work hard enough on projects. This is one of the reasons why employers are hesitant in adapting a work-from-home scheme. Supervisors are now having the most difficult time keeping track of their team progress. While most ordinary employees are having the time of their lives, supervisors are struggling to do their job: supervise. The challenges of not being able to physically supervise a team may not be for everyone.
Information Security may also place a huge burden on companies since they would have to invest in securing their proprietary information. Sending their employees at home means allowing them to use the public internet, which is a nightmare to companies handling sensitive information.
Distractions
The Internet made it possible for employees to work at home, but it can also provide them with a ton of online distractions that might prevent them from doing their job. Social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube are designed to keep their users hooked. They spent millions of dollars to develop algorithms that would ensure the longest possible traffic per person.
Children around the house might also pose a threat to productivity. The noise, the endless questions, might prevent a parent from concentrating on a project.
The homey atmosphere that we all love might become counterproductive when we start working at home. These are only a few of the millions of unique distractions we can experience when working at home.
Internet Connection
Let’s be honest, not all places on earth have a good internet connection. This will hinder people from getting online jobs. For those already employed, this might prevent them from working effectively. Some companies are generous enough to provide all their employees with a stable connection but too small to medium enterprises, would spell trouble.
PREPARE
For those working at home, a proper workstation is necessary. For your workstation needs, head to Flexispot, a company dedicated to providing its customers ergonomic furniture and equipment. The key to a successful experience is having the perfect setup. So, whether you are pro or against working at home, it’s time you improve your working set up to ensure the highest possible productivity level
