May 10th, 2020
“To win in the marketplace, you must first win in the workplace.” - Doug Conant
A Change in the Traditional Workplace
In previous years, back in the time of our forefathers, most everyone left their home to go to work. In recent years, a few decades ago, more and more people began staying home from work. Working from home has increasingly gained popularity over the past few years. Is there a benefit from leaving home to go to work? Or, is it better to work from home?
Benefits to Working at Home
With more and more people working at home, it may be a good place to start by discussing why people may like working at home as well as the benefits they may receive from this decision. Some people may enjoy working from home because they may be able to have a more relaxed schedule at home. They most likely will be able to dress more casually and may find enjoyment in being able to not have to dress a certain way or put as much time and effort into getting ready for the day as they would if they left their home for work.
Some benefits of working at home include possibly getting more sleep because one does not have to travel to begin working. Another benefit of not traveling is not having to use a car and gasoline to get to work, which saves money. More benefits of working at home include being at home for things that need to be taken care of (for example, cleaning the house or being home when a maintenance or cable person comes) and being at home to spend more time with one’s children or family in general.
Benefits to Working at a Workplace
While there are certainly benefits to working at home, there are benefits to working at a workplace as well. One of these benefits is that it can be helpful to get outside of one’s home and have a place designated for work. It can be easy to get distracted while at home and do things other than the work that one needs to do for work. It may also be nice to leave the home and get away from the same place day in and day out.
Another benefit from working at the workplace is the relationships that can be formed at the workplace. When working from home, it is most likely that there are not co-workers there for one to talk to and to spend time building relationships with. On the other hand, working at a workplace can allow one to get to know others and form relationships with them. Many people make friendships from work colleagues that last for a lifetime! This can be very beneficial for dealing with work stress and gaining social support when needed. Many times, work can be a considerable source of stress and having others there in these times can be very helpful.
Drawbacks of Working at Home
Despite there being benefits from working at home, there are drawbacks as well. One of these drawbacks is that working from home can bring up feelings and emotions of loneliness and boredom.
Working from home entails working in the same environment over and over day after day, which can be monotonous. Some people will find that working at home is more boring than working at a workplace. By not needing to leave the house, aside from personal needs, a person may find that they lose their daily dose of human and social interaction; creating a sense of loneliness.
Any boredom a person may find themselves in by working from home may allow them to procrastinate as they may get distracted from their work and begin focusing on other projects in their home. This can create a problem of work inefficiency.
Drawbacks to Working at a Workplace
Just as there are downfalls to working at home, there are also downfalls to working at the workplace as well. One such drawback is that there is much less flexibility working at the workplace than working from home. While working at home, if you need to go do something or if you are feeling hungry and want to eat you can just go accomplish it is that you want to do or get the food right then.
However, when you are working at a workplace there are often structured breaks and built in times to eat lunch. Also, working from a workplace requires transportation and time to travel to work. Even if you work close to home you may have to walk or ride a bike. Transportation in some places can be expensive as well, which adds to the cost of working at the workplace.
Finding What Works For You
Altogether, both working from home and working from the workplace have their benefits as well as their drawbacks. If possible, a balance between the two may be best. That way, one can experience the good things from both working at home and going to work at the workplace. Some may find that they enjoy one more than the other and gravitate towards that location more.
Ultimately, the most important thing is to find a way in which you can be successful for yourself. Not just finding a job or a work environment that makes you good money, but that serves you in healthy manner socially and emotionally.
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