{"id":243039,"date":"2021-04-19T15:45:09","date_gmt":"2021-04-19T14:45:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/focusme.com\/?p=243039"},"modified":"2025-02-06T09:27:58","modified_gmt":"2025-02-06T09:27:58","slug":"the-work-from-home-vs-office-debate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/focusme.com\/blog\/the-work-from-home-vs-office-debate\/","title":{"rendered":"The Work From Home vs Office Debate: Where Are We Most Productive?"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

If 2020 was the year of being stuck at home whether we liked it or not, 2021 is the one where the work from home vs office debate really ignites.

So... where are we truly more productive?
<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Before last year, working from home was seen as the preserve of small business owners, techies and freelancers. Now that much of the population and most businesses have had a taste of this totally different way of doing things and pandemic related restrictions are gradually being lifted, will we stick to it or return to our traditional places of work? The answer to this question will be different depending on the country, industry and company you work in. You may even have a say in this yourself if your employer decides to switch to the hybrid work<\/a> model that is gaining traction around the world. In that sense, it’s important to get a handle on the work from home vs office debate as you aim to maximize your productivity by getting the best of both worlds.<\/p>

Based on your personality, life circumstances and what you do for a living, you probably already have a decent idea about whether you prefer remote work, time in the office or a combination of the two. In case you’re still deciding or are simply interested in the nuances of this debate and how it might affect us on a societal level, here are some things to consider:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Choice\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Download this article as a PDF<\/a><\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Remote work isn't the promised land after all<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Before the events of the last year, many of us dreamed of having the ‘freedom’ to avoid heading into an office or a traditional workplace every day. After all, who doesn’t want to avoid traffic and spend a little more time around the people they care about? Unfortunately, when our idealized versions of life come up against reality, there is only ever one winner.<\/p>

It’s certainly true that many people have coped well while working from home. According to a recent report<\/a> by Microsoft, over 60% of business leaders (who skew towards Gen X and Millennial males), have reported “thriving” during the pandemic and related lockdowns. In contrast, members of Gen Z, women, frontline workers and those just beginning their careers reported struggling much more during this time. If you’re single and have scraped by on minimal physical contact with others or have young kids that have been kept home from school and needed help with online classes you’ve likely felt the strain of being home all day much more as well.<\/p>

For many, the novelty of being able to raid their own fridge between meetings and work in their PJs faded quickly. On the other hand, the difficulties of building new habits, focusing through increased distractions and making due with less opportunities to collaborate and socialize only became more acute with each passing day. Despite the clear difficulties people have had adjusting to working from home, productivity levels largely remained the same as they were pre-pandemic. However, that’s not the whole story. Workers have consistently reported increased stress levels and feeling overworked.<\/p>

In that sense, it’s fair to say that the enforced switch has been far from a resounding success, but that doesn’t mean remote work is dead in the water.<\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Working\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Download this article as a PDF<\/a><\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

The office will never be the same again<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

While the experience of working remotely hasn’t exactly inspired a permanent shift away from offices, it has certainly exposed the unnecessary rigidity of our previous work paradigm. While many people miss connecting with their colleagues, having face-to-face collaboration time and simply getting the change of scenery that working outside of the house provides, nobody is queuing up to go back to the previous status quo either.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Traditional work schedules were already under attack by concepts such as the 4 day work week and the proliferation of online freelancing opportunities. Now, we know for sure that we don’t need to spend 40 hours or more each week in an office. While working on-site may foster innovation and camaraderie, there are also a number of ways that it diminishes productivity and well-being.<\/p>