One of the biggest challenges of COVID-19 was how businesses adapted to working while lockdowns were in effect. Working from home became the new normal, with most organisations in the UK — and the world — learning to keep their day-to-day business ticking over from the comfort of their homes.
As the pandemic ended, however, not everyone was ready to return to the old ways of working. While some were excited to get back to how things were, others wanted the work-from-home lifestyle to stay.
Now that there are many more businesses that continue to operate with a work-from-home policy than there were pre-pandemic, it begs the question; which is best?
Advantages of working from home
Flexibility
Employees that are not tied to an office are in a better position — and are likely to be more willing to work flexible hours. Without the need to commute to the office, your team can put that time and energy to good use by working earlier or later than usual. This can be particularly useful for international calls where clients may be operating in different time zones.
Attracting new talent
Flexible working is one of the most sought-after perks an employer can offer its employees, making it a great tool for attracting the right people to your business. By offering home working as an incentive to prospective new hires, you give yourself a big leg up on the competition when compared to other companies in the job market that don’t offer flexible work hours.
Employee retention
Finding the right staff is one thing, but keeping them is another. Showing you trust your employees to work from home will inspire staff loyalty.
By offering a better work/life balance to your employees, they’re less likely to start looking for different employment opportunities. This is especially true for workers who have difficult commutes or struggle to find childcare.
Improved productivity
With fewer interruptions than in the office, working from home helps to boost productivity. As well as being a quiet and comfortable environment to promote focus, it incentivises employees to problem-solve small issues themselves rather than interrupt their peers with questions.
Similarly, problems that require guidance can be discussed via email, where employees can communicate when they’re free rather than having to stop what they’re doing immediately.
Higher motivation
Working from home provides an element of autonomy, giving your employees the freedom to get on with their work without a manager breathing down their neck. Workers can then develop their own home working routine that best suits their work style, helping them stay motivated to give their best efforts throughout the day.
Better staff wellbeing
Employers have a duty of care when it comes to the wellbeing of their employees. Removing the stressful work commute from your employee’s day will do wonders for their mental health, helping them relax, providing more sleep and even more hours in the day to pursue exercise or family time.
Financial benefits
The most immediate financial gain for a business that allows its employees to work from home is that they don’t need to pay the fees that come with an office. Rent, utility bills, and maintenance upkeep are all factors that add up to a large expenditure for your business.
Likewise, your staff will also enjoy the financial gain of not needing to spend money on their daily commute — whether that involves tickets for public transport, fuel costs or even parking.
Lower risk of sickness
Shared workspaces and public transport are both high-risk hubs for spreading colds and illnesses. By reducing contact with others that are feeling under the weather, you greatly reduce the risk of your employees catching any office bugs that could put themselves and their colleagues out of commission.
Additionally, your team will be less likely to suffer burnout thanks to a more relaxing work environment.
Advantages of working in an office
Structure
Having the freedom to work flexibly is great for some, whereas others benefit greatly from having routine and structure to their work day. The familiarity of an office environment is a useful tool to help employees stay focused on their tasks and to hit their deadlines in a timely manner.
Interaction
Working face-to-face with your peers is a much more productive way to operate in any role that requires collaboration. Whether you’re brainstorming ideas in a focus group, mentoring a colleague through a training session or onboarding a new member to the team; interacting in person promotes conversation and ensures everyone is on the same page.
Even on a human level, interacting with your team helps to reduce the feeling of isolation and loneliness.
A dedicated workspace
Another benefit of working in an office is that employees can enjoy a permanent workspace. While some staff may benefit from having a home office, not all workers have that luxury. This means that a work-from-home environment will be far more difficult; not only will employees struggle to find a suitable space to work, but they also won’t want their work equipment to take up limited space while they’re off the clock.
This can be even more difficult for those with young children who don’t understand work boundaries and will unintentionally cause distractions throughout the day. By providing employees with an office space that is specifically for them to work and focus, you can ensure that everyone on your team can work comfortably.
Separation between work and home
Some people can find it difficult to switch off after work in general — something made significantly worse if their workspace is just a few feet away from where they relax.
Separating work life and home life is crucial to maintaining the mental health of your employees, so having an office where they can leave their job at the door will ensure your workers have a healthy work/life balance.
Staff morale
Keeping an eye on the mood and general atmosphere surrounding your teams is far easier when you can see it. It’s difficult to gauge how each employee is doing on an individual basis when they’re working from home. You’ll, therefore, find it much easier to keep staff morale high when everyone is working together in the same space.
Technology
By opting for an office, you have control over the technology and equipment that your organisation uses during your day-to-day business. While it’s easy to hand out laptops for staff to use at home, an office will likely have superior equipment — such as additional monitors and even more comfortable chairs — and a consistently strong WiFi connection.
Should your business work from home or the office?
The first thing you should do when evaluating your options is to take a step back and look at how your business operates.
In broad terms, businesses that can operate with their employees working independently can gain financially from a work-from-home business model, and its staff can enjoy the perks of home working — provided they have a suitable setup.
On the other end of the scale, however, companies that thrive on groups working closely together on projects or need a more rigid workplace structure to keep on top of deadlines will likely thrive in an office environment where collaboration is easier and everyone is working to the same timelines.
What is hybrid working?
For those that fall somewhere in between office working and working from home, a hybrid workplace model combines the best of both worlds. While it may not be the solution for every organisation, hybrid working creates an environment in which employees can reap the perks of a more flexible and relaxing home environment for part of the week and come together for meetings and group projects in an office for the remaining days in the week.
Hybrid working can also be financially beneficial for businesses, as they’ll only need to pay rent for two to three days a week, opening up the possibility of sharing an office with another organisation or utilising a dedicated shared workspace.
Make the daily commute easier for your employees with CMAC
If an office working environment, or hybrid model, is the best fit for your business, you can ease the stress of travel for your employees with the help of CMAC.
For those who live in less well-connected areas, our passenger first and last mile solution ensures that your employees are transported to and from their station of choice so that rail travel is always an option. Or alternatively, you can offer your team a staff shuttle service to provide safe, timely and stress-free travel whenever you need it.
To learn more about CMAC and our full range of ground transportation services, contact us today for more information.