The COVID-19 pandemic has undeniably had a huge impact on work culture around the world. At the start of the pandemic, many lost their jobs or had no choice but to work from home, with offices around the world absent for months. While working from home is by no means a novel concept, COVID-19 saw it adopted on an unprecedented basis. But now that many people are returning to the lifestyles they had before the pandemic, what is the future of home working?
Should We Continue Working at Home?
Whether or not to return to working conditions prior to the pandemic depends on the individual and their preferred working conditions. For some in industries like editing and translation, many had been working from home for years and if this leads to higher productivity and happiness, then they should continue this approach. For others, working from home is simply not an option.
Many have considered quitting their jobs due to being asked to come back into office working conditions, realizing they truly appreciate the opportunity to work from home. This has led to a surge in interest in remote working positions, potentially saving workers money, stress, and time on commutes and giving them more independence at home, while also allowing them to spend time with loved ones. However, working at home is not for everyone.
A New Approach to Working
A common complaint during the COVID-19 pandemic was that people missed working in offices with other people and that they missed the office culture. Some people understandably do not work efficiently at home or want their homes to be a place where they can relax and unwind after their work is done, so looking to move back into an office makes sense for these individuals.
The choice of whether to work from home or in an office does not have to be black or white. On some days, people may need to talk to others either for efficiency or for their mental wellbeing, while on others, they may not want to work in an office for the very same reasons. Some workers and companies are realizing this and allowing people to work flexibly, coming into an office every so often and working from home too.
Endless Possibilities
Even freelancers may find themselves missing the company of others and could choose to work in shared workspaces. Just because you can work remotely, it doesn’t mean that you necessarily need to work in a home environment. The choices are as limitless as the types of workers there are. Some may get a lot of work done in a café environment, others may prefer a quiet library or coworking space to get out of the house, while others may even take the opportunity to work outdoors.
If people do choose to continue to work from home, however, it is important to distinguish between work and relaxation at home, both for mental health and for efficiency. It is important to be disciplined, have boundaries, learn how to work most effectively and happily, and respect yourself and others.
This potential working flexibility at this time is what makes it an exciting period as the working culture changes.
