When working for prolonged periods at home there are some glaring differences that show up between working from home versus working in an office. Here’s a comparison to help you understand the unique advantages and disadvantages of each.
Commuting
The average worker spends around 27 minutes on their daily work commute and it is now getting worse. Now, more than 14 million people spend more than an hour or more traveling to work.An option is telecommuting, which is another way to say that you’re working remotely or from home by using the internet, email, and phone. However, some folks also like waking up early, getting ready, and separating home and the office. This is why many people working remotely still choose to visit a coffee shop or a coworking space.
Communication
According to many research reports, face-to-face communication is most preferred by employees when communicating. Eliminating video conferencing, face-to-face communication is what you really only manage to get in an office space. It’s beneficial when planning for business and also strengthens relationships and rapport with the other employees. There is something about relationship-building that happens when you spend time with someone or bump into each other at the water dispenser at work.
Flexibility
When in an office, it’s possible you have a set schedule: your alarm will go off at the same time each day, you grab your coffee, and you sit at your desk ready to work.
When working from home, it is a little different, since you have the flexibility to wake up when you want to and tailor your day to your needs.
Office Environment vs. Home Environment
When working at your office, you don’t have much of a choice with regard to your work environment. You may have a noisy coworker or find yourself sitting under the air conditioner, which could end up impacting your productivity. When working from home, you have the option to set up your optimal home office or workstation.
Financial Costs
The difference between working from home and working at an office can be observed when it comes to finances, and we’re not just talking about how much money you earn. When at an office, you usually pay for the costs of commuting, which could be public transit, gas, or even maintenance expenses.