COVID-19 and the Case for Remote Workplaces

For a long time, physically coming into an office was considered a badge of honor, especially among older generations. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic in the world, it seems like this is about to change - and not just temporarily. As it turns out, fears about lack of productivity when working from home, often harbored by employers, are largely unfounded, and a big percentage of office jobs can be done at least equally well from home. In fact, a Stanford study found that people who work from home were able to work longer days, focus harder, and were generally happier, and their attrition rate also decreased by 50%. Additionally, the company was able to save almost $2,000 a month per employee in rent costs.

According to Global Workplace Analytics, 67% of people want to work from home, and 36% would choose it over a pay raise. There’s also the added incentive of helping the environment by cutting out your daily commute, especially if you drive to and from work. However, there are also drawbacks, especially felt during the COVID-19 pandemic and the need for social isolation. Aside from losing out on office perks, like snacks and events, there is also the lack of social interaction. Working from home means you can’t head to the pub for a pint with your coworkers after a strenuous day. Still, most of these drawbacks have ways to be replaced, while the perks like increased productivity and employee happiness cannot be overstated. It’s only too bad that it took a global pandemic before employers realized this.