In response to Covid-19, almost all countries had gone lockdown. In this sudden scenario, finding a way to navigate expectation and work trends amid the pandemic was unique for each company, firstly thanks to advance technology and Innovation, which made possible to work remotely. Now pandemic has become post-pandemic, things are normalizing, people are getting back to the office. Companies like TCS, Wipro, and Infosys have called baked to office. While many other companies have continued to support the remote work culture because they believe it is a way to increase productivity while still allowing schedules for employees. Now question raise, does it really make an employee more productive, or is it just belief that hurts your team culture?
Why Returning to the Office After Remote Work Matters
While the idea of not having to commute or have meetings physically while still accomplishing your job responsibilities may seem like a dream, it would be seen as a negative impact on the rest of your company and your wellbeing.
Today, we will be trying to understand why getting back to the office after remote work can benefits you.
The rise of remote working.
Research firm Gartner said, “By the end of 2021, 51% of all knowledge workers worldwide are expected to be working remotely,” India will produce one of the highest numbers of remote workers with one in three Indian employees to work remotely by 2022. The demand for remote work surge during the pandemic Covid-19, where the highest number of workforce experienced working from home for the first time.
Along with this, remote workers saw some advantages, such as saving 1 or 2 hours every day from a daily commute and saving money on average 1000 to 1500 per month from work remotely.
The Cons of remote working.
While statistics make remote working sound more appealing, there are several things that remote working has to weaken businesses and professionals, which is why it has become necessary to get back to the office when it is safe to do so
Some factors:
Decrease collaboration
Research from Lucid reveals that remote working has impeded team collaboration and communication by 23%, which indicates less teamwork and development on assigned projects. This isn’t good, especially for junior team members who cannot work closely with the rest of their colleagues and learn the valuable skills they need to succeed and grow within their company. Unlike office life, where you can interact with others with questions, you are limited to virtual meetings or online chats with remote work.
Increase Distractions.
While employees undoubtedly experience daily distractions in the office, it is possible that working from home can increase even more distractions. People have admitted that working from home and regularly diverting our attention to pets, video games, kids, and Tiger king is quite common. One more important thing is, everyone in-home office space is different, as is their ability to shout out distractions. But if you consistently show a lack of focus or dedication, remote work may not good for you.
Lack of inspiration.
When you are surrounded by people all day who are in the same profession as you are, there are a lot of inspirations you can get from the environment. But, when you are working remotely, and you are unable to see your colleagues or surrounding. It is quite possible to losses the creativity level as they work without any outside influence.
Lack of work/life balance.
Maintaining work /life balance while working remotely is difficult. No doubt, remote working can make it very easy to overwork yourself. In such a case, it is hard to tell when a day at work will be finished. With no one keeping track of work hours for you, you may end up working past their regular hours without realizing that you should have stopped long before then. This creates problems in work-life balance, including increased stress, have no time for family, and more.
Reduced relationship with co-workers.
Working with co-workers in an office gives employees the opportunity to bond over a shared experience and build camaraderie with each other. However, since you are working remotely, it is difficult to establish a relationship with your colleagues, even when a company/organization chooses to utilize telecommunicating or online video call or chat, and other communication sources.
Isolation.
Another big reason is isolation. Remote work may sound fascinating because you are working wherever and whenever. The lack of interaction with co-workers can make employees feel alone. This is true for those who don’t have family and friends near them. So that they can hang out in their free time. In addition, isolation can ultimately lower morale because you are not seeing the result of your hard work.
If you are working in an office, it’s easy to feel like you are part of a company’s bigger picture.
The future of working: remote as needed.
We have pointed out the reasons why you should choose to return office. It isn’t just good for business but also for employees. However, there are many benefits to being able to work from anywhere. It is important to not forget about how beneficial can be working in-office for your career growth. After all, knowledge-sharing skills among co-workers are essential so that one can learn and develop their abilities.
Remote working can still be offered when needed, for example, you have a dentist appointment, want to take care of a sick child, or any other specific situation.
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