With so many businesses beginning to go back to office work rather than in-home meetings over Zoom, it’s apparent that there were benefits and disadvantages to both. The advantages of working at home are many, but there are drawbacks.
Here are a few things to consider…
Access To Remote Talent is a benefit of remote work.
If you’re a business owner, one of the most valuable advantages of remote work is access to talent from all over the country. You can locate people with talents and expertise that aren’t prevalent in your region if you have a larger applicant pool.
Access to remote personnel might also help you maintain a more consistent pricing structure. Hiring a marketing manager in Houston, for example, will likely cost you less than hiring a marketing manager in New York City, owing to the significant difference in cost of living between the two locations.
The disadvantage of remote work is navigating various legal requirements.
The disadvantage of being able to hire people from various backgrounds? Having to ensure that your company complies with various legal standards.
State minimum wage rates and payroll regulations are only two examples of differences. Consider this: the frequency of payday in California and Michigan “depends on the employee’s employment,” yet the frequency of payday in Arizona must be “two or more days in a month, not more than 16 days apart,” according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
Remote work has the advantage of lower operational costs.
When it comes to working at home vs. working in an office, this is an important one.
One of the most significant advantages of remote work is that it allows you to reduce your operational expenditures. You won’t have to spend thousands of dollars in annual rent, acquire and maintain office technology and furnishings, pay for Wi-Fi, and other expenses if you don’t have a physical office.
Instead, you may put those savings toward expanding your firm and improving the lives of your employees, such as employing extra staff and increasing employee bonuses.
Inconsistent Work Environments are a disadvantage of remote work.
Your staff, on the other hand, will not have a consistent work atmosphere if you don’t have a real office. You may set everyone up with comparable technology and equipment if you work from a real workplace. You’ll be able to see whether your employees are using your secure Wi-Fi network while surrounded by other employees.
You can provide technology stipends or send equipment to your remote staff, but there’s no assurance they won’t utilize their own computers. Furthermore, your staff may work from a variety of places. This is fantastic for employees, but it may make work more difficult — for example, loud background music at a coffee shop could prevent an employee from hearing critical information during a Zoom session.
Communication issues when working at home
Face-to-face contact is the most favored communication method for employees, according to findings from a 2020 State of Business Communication Report.
Face-to-face communication, with the exception of video conferencing, is something that can only happen in an office setting. It not only helps with business planning but also improves connections and rapport with coworkers. When you sit next to someone or run into each other at the coffee shop, there’s something about relationship-building that happens.
When you operate remotely, communication is still possible; it’s just different. Video calls replace face-to-face communication. Slack messages are created from short discussions. Emails, on the other hand, remain emails. Nobody is safe from them!
Working from home has the advantage of allowing you to work from anywhere. You don’t even need a laptop to get started. Employees may use their iPhone or Android to make and receive calls, attend conference calls, message colleagues, and remain online with a full-featured business phone app.
Many firms now require video conferencing over regular phone conversations when engaging with coworkers to improve communication for remote staff. To align themselves with corporate goals, teams should hold conference calls. Employees may also hold online gaming evenings for fun get to know one another, outside of the office.
Some teams even use social media as a means of communication. Close.com, for example, claims to employ Snapchat for internal team development. It’s a smart and innovative method to stay connected while working remotely via social media.
What do you think about working at home vs. working in an office? What are the advantages of working at home for you?
