Before the pandemic, a very small population of the work force worked from home. With the pandemic, it has become the norm for many, but will it continue when the crisis is over?
Several large corporations like Facebook and Nationwide Insurance have announced they expect a major portion of staff to work from home permanently. What has changed?
Employers had expected a decline in productivity with people working from home, but most found the opposite happened. Productivity rose, often by a lot. Employees were able to work without interruptions and distractions there was no commute, breaks were briefer, and people enjoyed the flexibility of their work hours. Many employees found a greater sense of job satisfaction and felt safer from possible infections that could spread in office environments. Meeting via video kept connections for teamwork and often found fewer meetings were necessary.
For employers, having staff enjoy more job satisfaction and better productivity is a major benefit. Operation costs are also lowered by reducing the amount of office space needed, which often includes parking. It opens the possibility of hiring excellent staff, who live at a greater distance, who would not be able or willing to join in an office setting.
But working from home also has drawbacks that must be acknowledged. One of the most concerning is for parents who have children home and needing attention. Efficiency of working from home is premised on children returning to school or day care so that parents have the quiet and non-disturbance for concentration.
There can be a lack of social connection and feeling of isolation. Some people feel they are working all the time, having trouble confining their work life to office hours. There can be difficulty with technology for office connections due to delayed video signals or poor Wi-Fi. Employees also need to find a dedicated, private place in their homes to work and remember they are on camera during video calls and dress appropriately.
If the technical and space considerations can be improved, working some days from home and a couple days in the office can lessen the isolation and allow for interchanges fostering creativity. But using technology to also bring staff together for social events or training classes can promote more interchange with people in a relaxed environment.
As our cities become more crowded, our roads more congested, rental space more expensive and public transportation less convenient, working from home can be a scenario that works for everyone.