Should you work at home or work close to home? For some, an ideal work setup means using their couch as their office chair, having a room-to-room commute distance, and using their snack drawer as their pantry. Meanwhile, others want to work in a highly collaborative environment that is not as far from home. The viability and effectiveness of these two work setup options still depend on one’s work requirements and preferences.
To nail down a better idea of what a home and in-office setup would look like for you, it’s crucial to picture yourself working from home and working remotely. Some important factors to also consider are work needs, environment, accessibility, cost, and convenience.
If you’re ever wondering what setup will help you achieve work-life balance, you better not pout! We’ve got you covered! Let’s weigh the pros and cons of working from home and near home.
Work setup options: a comparative guide
Flexibility and agility
- Working at home
- This setup allows flexibility and agility in terms of working arrangements. Since employees are no longer in the office premises, they are in a better position to work flexible hours. Some can catch up on other tasks at night or use the time that’s supposedly allotted for commuting to finish some deliverables. Employees are also more agile given that this setup promotes asynchronous communication. You and your colleagues can already reach one another via a mobile app in one to two clicks. This is also an advantage for those who are coordinating with international stakeholders from areas with different time zones.
- Working close to home
- Near-home work may not totally give you the flexibility that you can have when you work at home, but it still remains efficient, especially if you prefer instant face-to-face interactions. However, working hours are typically fixed, with most companies requiring their employees to render eight hours of work per day.
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Convenience
- Working at home
- For some, working at home is more convenient given that all their needs like food and private bathroom access are easily available and accessible. Food may already be available at home, so you don’t have to go outside to buy snacks or dine in. This work arrangement also eliminates the need to spend hours of your day preparing for work and travel. (No traffic-induced stress!) However, some challenges that one has to face if working at home include network connectivity issues, being required to use your own device, feedback delays due to asynchronous communication, and less accessible office needs such as supplies and documents.
- Working close to home
- Even if this means you still need to travel to work, this won’t be as challenging given that you’re working close to your home. For many, being in the office means you can pick up client or customer calls without distractions, reach out to your coworkers seamlessly, focus on tasks at hand without thinking of household duties, and enjoy faster internet connections, and many more. If you’re an employee who thrives in office setups, this may be the right work arrangement for you.
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Performance and productivity
- Working at home
- Several studies show that people working at home are 47 percent more productive, which is a result of work-life balance and reduced mental pressure. Meanwhile, others who make it a habit to work from bed may find it difficult to work productively since this blurs the boundary between work and personal time or rest. Still, the key to being productive at home is to have the right routine and discipline.
- Working close to home
- Working on-site is ideal for those who thrive in collaborative, office-like setups. One research shows that professionals who travel in less than 30 minutes to work gain a momentum of around seven days’ worth of productive time annually. In the workplace, many are also challenged to squeeze their creative juices and put their best foot forward performance-wise, hence increasing their productivity levels.
Health and wellbeing
- Working at home
- Working at home means you no longer have to stress yourself out because of being late or getting stuck in traffic. You also get to save time and redirect your energy to healthier personal life choices. You get to extend your sleep, improve your home, connect better with your family or loved ones at home, pursue your hobbies, exercise, and prepare healthy meals.
- Working close to home
- While this means you still get to have extra time for other things as compared to working somewhere far, this still means you aren’t exempted from external challenges that may arise. These include traffic, office stress, and environmental pressure. If you’re someone who can manage external stressors well, this may work for you.
The best of both worlds
Working at home and working close to home both have their pros and cons. In order to understand which one will help you experience job satisfaction, you have to assess your work needs and see which setup–collaborative or working alone–enables you to be more productive. If you want to try both, you may also want to consider a hybrid setup. Check out the insights above to help you get started!