Work From Home (WFH) or Traditional Office - exactly where do we proceed from here?

Work From Home (WFH) or Traditional Office - exactly where do we proceed from here?

If you use social media, you may believe that the verdict is in and that the majority of people prefer to work from home. But that is not the case. It is still a contentious decision, and the jury is still out. Let’s have a closer look at the various scenarios attached to this topic. Not all work can be done from home. Estimates suggest around 28-32% of current workforce can plausibly work-from-home (WFH). Yes, the social media debates and frenzy on the subject will make it appear as if the entire world is thinking about it, but for most, it is not possible, owing to the nature of their jobs. Work-from-home opportunities arose as a result of the pandemic, where those who could work from home were asked to do so for the greater good of all, then employers and employees attempted to adjust to this new way of working and living. The initial challenges were expected, and everyone maintained a positive attitude. As things began to return to normalcy, many people had undergone significant lifestyle changes. Returning to the old way of working was no longer appealing for many. Debates erupted on social media, with some arguing that why return to the old way when the new one works just fine, that what matters is the quality of work, not where it is delivered. It has been argued that allowing workers the option to do some or all their jobs from home will lead to increased productivity for the company by improving their employees work-life balance. Since WFH can reduce expenses, it may boost employee morale on the job, which in turn benefits businesses through higher productivity. But how much of this has worked to keep everyone happy?

Concerns have been raised by employers due to incidences of employees taking unfair advantage and causing workflow delays, which have ultimately led to lower quality work. In a piece for the Financial Review, an Australian news and business website, Australian entrepreneur Adam Schwab said that the fact that individuals enjoy remaining at home in their pyjamas and chatting on Zoom does not always make it a net positive. He gave the example of his own children, who loved?watching shows on?iPad?while snacking on chocolate, to demonstrate his point. And more recently Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Inc., put a stop to remote work and eliminated all remote and hybrid roles from the company's careers page. Some have speculated that Musk's actions bring to light a long-standing worry that distant workers are more vulnerable to layoffs, especially in economic downturns. When Musk tweeted that Tesla employees who work from home "should pretend to work somewhere else," making the risks of remote working clear. Following that Tesla did cut 200 jobs not sure if the reasons are WFH. Real Estate billionaire Stephen Ross told Bloomberg “The employees will recognize as we go into a recession, or as things get a little tighter, that you have to do what it takes to keep your job and to earn a living”

My industry peers have recently begun to speak out about their experiences with work-from-home and how things did not go as planned. In fact, some had very dissatisfying encounters. As a result, interest in the work-from-home system is dwindling. To be successful, work-from-home programmes need to be supported by a large number of employers who have had success with the concept and employee’s diligence would be a driving factor. Some companies appear to prefer blended work models in which employees split their time between working from home and coming into the office, so surely there are viable alternatives. Assuming that issues raised by all parties are handled, this approach has a chance of succeeding. The right to strike a balance between employee autonomy and company expectations is essential.

?Let's take a closer look at why WFH is appealing. As an alternative to traditional office work, WFH is identical to working from home. It's common knowledge that reducing commuting times and costs can boost employee morale. Additionally, living at home can help you save money on day care for your young children, improve communication and bonding within the family unit, and even stimulate your imagination as a result of the extra time and space one has to devote to their hobbies. There is more space to manoeuvre and work around obstacles. You may notice a dramatic improvement in the quality of your work as a result of this.

The Big Tech companies were early adopters of working from home. While this sounds fantastic, it is important to remember that these companies can now hire for a completely remote position from anywhere in the world, and as an individual, you are now competing with a much larger pool of talent. Companies that hire from countries with lower resource costs may find this to be extremely cost effective. This is especially true in the developed West where wages are significantly higher than rest of the world due to higher living costs. For example, virtual executive assistants are becoming increasingly popular in the United States, with the majority of hires coming from Far East such as Vietnam and the Philippines.

If you were to ask me what you may miss out if you were to work remotely, here are a few things that come to mind. Consider the benefits of a great company culture, team building exercises, learning, and mentoring, helping hands of great colleagues, team spirit, coffee chats to free up mind clogs, brainstorming, and feeling motivated to grow with a healthy dose of competition – these are all great reasons to work in an office environment. The office culture has a significant impact on learning and growth. You are not working alone in a room; you are part of a team; it has the same rush as any team sport. You will never form a deep relationship with your peers or seniors in the WFH model; it is more like being in a long-distance relationship. Having coffee with someone on Zoom is never the same as having coffee in person. Face-to-face interaction is always preferable to virtual interaction. Do the parties involved have the same level of mutual trust that they would if they were physically working together? Probably not, people cited examples such as how sending too many emails back and forth to complete the same task only slows down performance while earlier one could just walk up to a colleague’s desk and explain in person what they are looking for. In an office environment, a boss/manager/mentor could simply walk up to the desk and help correct mistakes; now, a meeting must be scheduled. Missed zoom calls, arriving late while others are waiting, and blaming it on a bad internet connection are now commonplace. It appears to be causing management distress and unhappiness; remember, an employment relationship is a two-way street that must be win-win for both parties. Proximity fosters fondness, faith and team spirit that is when an employee feels driven and loyal towards a company a boss feels like going an extra mile for junior and growth is faster.

So, can there be a viable middle ground? Perhaps yes, and this type of work is probably better suited for the more experienced and high-performing candidates in a company. To qualify for the benefit, new hires and freshers must first earn the trust of their employers. WFH should become synonymous with trust and value in the future. It could be an incentive, or it could be a well-earned facility. One can also consider 3:2 hybrid models. WFH could be 2 or 3 days out of 5 working days. WFH employees can adopt some habits that foster increased trust in the model, such as being prompt during work hours, being active in group chats, sending AFD (away from desk) information, and taking official leave if you are not intending to work. To keep things organised during phone calls, one should have a proper work desk set up at home. We all love our children and furry friends but having them around during work calls isn't always a good idea.

To grow as a person, one must zero in on the conditions under which they thrive most. Not everyone is self-motivated, and it's okay to need a little encouragement. In some families, especially those with young children, one parent's career takes precedence over the other, and that parent then seeks WFH opportunities to alleviate the stress of being solely responsible for home and childcare. In my experience, people in this situation tend to struggle more in a WFH setting and don't advance as far in their chosen profession as a result. If your career is important to you, you must make it a priority at times, if not all of the time.

Numerous psychologists have echoed the sentiment that isolation is one of the greatest challenges reported by remote employees, alongside difficulties in teamwork and communication. Overall, the negative effects of isolation, such as feelings of despair, substance abuse, inactivity, and harm to interpersonal relationships, much outweigh the inconvenience of daily commutes. Furthermore, it is indisputable that doing remote work frequently results in feelings of isolation.

I think it's best for morale, productivity, and everyone's overall development if there's a mix of working from the office and working from home. Each new employee has different needs after being hired. There will always be a demand for direct human engagement because some people's training needs are more complex than others. A friend of mine has noted that there may be a lack of personal space for family members in the WFH, and that the yearning for a change of scenery is very real. Another remembered the weekly team lunches with fondness. A peer from my industry recently made the shocking argument that it is simpler to fire a WFH employee because there is no actual link. While there are some critics of WFH, there is also widespread support. According to Lucas Mendes, co-founder of Revelo, "it would be naive to believe that prohibiting remote work will come without any trade-offs."

In summary, the success of any relationship is based on trust and delivery. Whether or not, WFH will work, or in which form will it work, will depend on the two parties involved, their commitment to each other, and delivering on promises made to each other.