Pros and Cons of working from home vs.

working from the office

If your job offered you an option of working from home or working in

the office – would you take it? Would you be more productive working
in sweatpants or in your usual business casual? Would you have more
time for you family if you do not have to spend two hours commuting
every day? Would you miss the corporate environment or would you
enjoy solitude?  Can video conferences, phone calls and remote
access really make you feel like you are part of the office when you
are not physically present? If you are confused about what option is
right for you – here are a few things to think about.

The positive side of working from home

Time saved = more me time

The biggest advantage of working from home is that you save a lot of
time commuting back and forth to work. You can spend extra time
with your family, read the newspaper instead of sitting in traffic. Start
off your day in a calm fashion instead of being stressed and rushed to
get to the office. Taking time for yourself is often very difficult, you
may find that having extra time in the mornings will make you happy
and therefore a more productive employee.

You are in control of your working environment

Another benefit of working from home is that you have the ability to
create your working environment. You have the freedom to choose
your office location.

You define your hours

With no time clock, you can start and stop your day as you please. You
can get started a little earlier or take a few extra minutes during
lunch.

Business very casual!

If the mood felt right, you could wear a shirt and shorts or pajama
bottoms. And what about days when you don’t have to video chat with
anyone from your office. Working in sweatpants and pajamas becomes
completely possible.

The negative side of working from home

Solitary confinement?

Many people find that working from home is like solitary confinement.
We all crave human interactions and sometimes video conferences
and phone calls won’t satisfy this need. Even though you can get in
touch with your office, you no longer have the constant support of your
colleagues.

Technical issues

Sure, when everything works – it is fantastic, but if your Internet cuts

out or you loose access to your company’s intranet, you may be unable
to do your job.

How disciplined are you?

Have you ever thought that working from home also takes discipline?
It is very easy to switch to surfing the web or home chores that need
to be done. When you work from home you may actually find it harder
to focus and get your work done.

24 Hour job!

When you work from home your work day never ends. Since it starts
and stops in the same place you may find yourself working later into
the evening not realizing what time it is. Some people find that when
they work from home that their jobs starts to bleed into their personal
life.

Where did the day go?

You may find that 5 o’clock rolled around and you are still in your
pajamas. With no reason to get dressed in the morning, you may
actually forget to.
The positive side of working in an office
So are you asking yourself, if I don’t have to get dressed and spend an
hour commuting back and forth everyday why would I want to? Well,
have you ever thought how positive and rewarding working in an office
can be?

Motivation for career growth

When you work in an office environment, you have knowledge and

support from your bosses and colleagues. Being around intelligent
people might motivate you. A competitive environment might
encourage you to perform better.

Immediate feedback

If you are in an office and you have a question – you can stand up and
walk over to someone’s desk and ask them. You can bring them to
your desk to show them something on your computer screen.

Social network

You may find that you benefit personally from being in an office.
Having a social life is very important. Having lunch with your
coworkers, going out, these are all positive and rewarding activities.
Again, when you are happy and satisfied you are a more productive
employee.

The negative side of working in an office

The commute

One of the biggest advantages of working from home is in turn the

biggest disadvantage of working in an office. You can spend upwards
of three hours commuting back and forth to work every day. Traffic
and wasted time all add up to stress. The extra time it takes to get to
and from work is time wasted that could be spent in a much more
productive manner.
You decide…
Some people are happier working in an office and some people are
happier working from home. You have to weigh your options and
decide what is the best for you. Can you be disciplined enough to work
from home? Will you be happy without the daily support of your co-
workers? Both options have their advantages and disadvantages. Only
you can decide what is the best option for you.