Life after the pandemic: working from home
Before the Covid-19 pandemic started, working from home was far less common than it is now.
APS data shows an average of 27% of the workforce worked from home at some point in 2019, with this number increasing to 37% by 2020, as a result of government guidance calling for workers to work remotely whenever possible.
However, even if all the social distancing restrictions have been lifted this year, people are still keen on working from home.
Based on Opinions and Lifestyle Survey (OPN) data collected between 19 and 30 January 2022, over one third (36%) of working adults reported that they had worked from home at least once in the past seven days as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
When asked about homeworking, working adults stated work-life balance was the greatest positive, while challenges of collaboration were the greatest negative’ – Office for National Statistics
With that in mind, can we say that working from home will become the new ‘normal’ way of working?
“I really enjoy working from home. Since I started working remotely, I moved back to my home city, so I am saving a lot of money and time. The comfort of being home while working is also an important advantage,” says Stefan (26), who is working remotely at CGS Romania since the pandemic started.
“However, I think that the biggest disadvantage is the lack of socialisation because I often miss the breaks with colleagues and the overall atmosphere of being in the office.’
When I asked him if he would prefer working remotely permanently, he said: “Yes and no. The fact that I have a family and a child now makes me say yes, but in the future, when my son will grow up, I will probably need to return to society.”
According to Office for National Statistics (ONS) 85% of working adults who currently work at home said they planned to use a “hybrid” approach of work at both home and in the office in the future.
There was some uncertainty among businesses, as 32% stated they were not sure what percentage of the workforce would work from their usual place of work.
“However, some days I miss the amenities provided when working in an office, such as the free lunch, access to the office gym and cafe or even having a quick chat with a co-worker during the lunch breaks.
Working from home and office both have their own perks. For example, since I am working remotely I have been saving money and time because I don’t have to commute anymore, I can focus better and my productivity has increased because I can manage my time better – Gaurav (29), who currently works remotely for a fintech company
“These small things can make your job more rewarding and enjoyable. If I had to choose, I would prefer a hybrid approach where I can work a few days in a week or month from office, to change the environment and meet team face to face.”
On the other hand, Global WorkplaceAnalytics reports that almost 6 out of 10 organizations view remote working as a major cost-cutting measure.
This way, companies are saving money by not having to rent offices anymore, pay utility bills or have additional staff to maintain the security or clean the areas.
With that in mind, the Covid-19 pandemic may have been the perfect opportunity to start transitioning from traditional office-based work to a more flexible way of working, where people have more freedom over their work schedule, finding a better work-life balance.
Feature image by pexels via Pixabay.