Working from home, 4 advantages and 4 disadvantages

Because of the coronavirus, many companies have taken the necessary measures to allow their employees to work from home as much as possible. Working from home has advantages and disadvantages. With the right policy, you will enjoy the advantages and limit the disadvantages.

 

4 advantages

 

1. No travel time and no travel costs:

No more traffic jams, no time lost on traveling, you feel less tired and of course you have no travel costs. Without a doubt one of the most important advantages of working from home.

2. Higher productivity:

Research shows that with the right facilities, clear agreements with the employer and a tight planning, employees are more productive from home than at the office. You work more comfortable, you are disturbed less frequently and you can perfectly schedule your day. Working from home also means less illness.

3. Work more efficiently:

Working from home is efficient. Open your laptop whenever you want and start immediately. Do you want to work in the evening or during the weekend? No problem. Want to start extra early or a little later than usual? No problem.

4. Better balance between work and private life:

By working in the office from 9 to 5, there is a strict separation between your work and your private life. But this can cause problems. Working from home makes you more flexible and improves your work-private life balance. Being home when a package gets delivered or when the plumber comes over is convenient. And on the other hand, you can work outside regular working hours, for example in the evenings.

"Do you still run into problems or can you use some advice to work more productively from home? We might be able to help you!"

 

4 disadvantages

 

1. Social isolation:

Many people experience working from home as more boring than in the office or even as lonely. No coffee corner talk or a spontaneous conversation, but chat, email and scheduled calls. But it is also important to have a relaxed and social conversation from time to time when working remotely. Good for your mood and the team spirit and it makes you more involved.

2. It requires extra facilities:

A decent desk, a comfortable office chair, a peaceful room, computer, keyboard, mouse, extra monitor, telephone, headset, software, good internet connection, other connections for access to company data and systems, etc. There is a lot you need to work at home. And that must also be in line with regulations such as health & safety, privacy and security.

3. Increased risk of stress:

Working from home increases the risk of stress. You might not know where to start your day, you have too much distraction or you miss the interaction with colleagues. A strict schedule becomes then even more important. Organize your day well and split the workload into small blocks in order to not get stressed.

4. More difficult to work together and lead your team:

Many activities can be done remotely. Via mail, chat, phone or in an online meeting. But in some cases, face-to-face meetings are useful or even necessary. Think of a job interview, brainstorming session, a meeting that takes hours or the start of a new project. It is wise to put such activities temporarily on hold if possible or to be extra alert that they run smoothly online.

 

Need our help?

At Dysel we have a lot of experience in working together remotely and communicating remotely. Do you still run into problems or can you use some advice to work more productively from home? We might be able to help you!

We can help you deal with the many issues related to working from home. The right facilities, technology, connections and software, but also the human side: how do you ensure that working from home is comfortable, pleasant and productive instead of lonely and stressful? Click here to contact us!

Teun Arts is Service Manager at Dysel and it is his job to ensure that customers make optimal use of the software, now and in the future.