The Pros and Cons of Working from Home

There is no doubt that technology continues to drastically shape the way our world looks and the way we interact with it and each other. In the business realm, new technology is always adapted quickly and effectively. Things like telephones, computers, the internet, and more have made businesses more efficient and productive. Another effect is that much our work can be done from anywhere with an internet connection. So, what are the pros and cons of working from home?

Why Employers Should Consider Allowing Remote Work

As nice as working from home sounds, there will always be some jobs that require physical interaction. Hairdressers, doctors, and firemen all really need to be on location to perform their job duties. On the other hand, many office jobs require nothing more than a working laptop and internet connection. Files, contacts, and information can all be access via the internet and communication between team members is still easily achievable with today’ solutions.
Pros of Working from Home

While not all positions can be remotely done 100% of the time. Many can be just as effectively accomplished with only occasional in person meetings. The recent fears of the Coronavirus pandemic has also led to many companies transitioning to a temporary work from home structure.

For example, the Amazon headquarters is located in Seattle, Washington, one of the areas hit the hardest by coronavirus cases. They employ 45,000 people in the town and they’ve shut down their HQ in order to prevent the spread of the illness among their employees. On a large scale this makes sense, but even on a small scale one employee with a cold could infect others. Allowing such employees to work from home on these days can help keep the rest of your office healthy as possible.

On top of the potential health benefits, employees also report lower stress levels when working from home. For the right type of employee, remote work can boost their productivity and well being at the same time.

In companies that are mainly remote employees, they also benefit from savings on office space and supplies. Employee’s also gain time and money when they do not have to travel to and from work.

Cons of Working from Home

For all of the many benefits of working from home, there are, of course, some downsides that come along with it. One of the biggest comes down to discipline and motivation of the individual employee. Some people may find being at home too distracting to focus on their work while others may find it offers more focus. This will vary based on the employee but its important an employee possess this self-awareness.

By nature, working remotely can also lead to less collaboration. When you can simply ask a coworker who is sitting nearby, collaboration occurs much more frequently. If workers are all at home, they are less likely to work together on smaller things. Tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams can help mitigate some of this lack of communication.

Institutional security can become an issue when workers routinely work from home. You have to send pieces of company equipment and software home with employees and in doing so you lose some level of control of their use and access. With thought IT services most of these risks can be mitigated. However, nothing is perfect and security is an issue even in offices where employees do not work from home.

Proper Training Goes a Long Way

Hopefully, you now have a better idea of the pros and cons of working from home. No matter where your employees work, training them properly and effectively is vital to the success of your company. Training & eTracking Solutions offers a full catalog of employee training courses. Convenient, simple, and perfect for remote workers, all of our trainings can be done online at your own time. Save time and money for yourself and your employees with Training & eTracking Solutions online catalog.