When it comes to making a living, you do what you have to do. For many people, that involves putting on a mask, carrying hand sanitizer, and going about your regular job. For the lucky ones among us working at a modern business, we can always work from home.
In fact, most people are expected to work from home if they’re able to. This means actively avoiding the office and any meeting places where you could potentially catch COVID-19. However, not even modern businesses can make full use of working from home and there are certain situations where it’s just not as effective.
Whether you run your own business or are an employee, you shouldn’t feel bad if working from home isn’t working out for you, and here’s why.
Being isolated at home can introduce mental health problems
Working from home can work on some occasions, but when you’re suddenly forced to isolate at home and hastily set up a home office, it’ll eventually take its toll. The pandemic has certainly made it difficult for some people to work from home due to the mental health toll that it has. People find themselves demotivated, stressed, anxious and even depressed in some circumstances. Little support is provided for at-home workers and being away from their place of work could hurt productivity.
The right balance is important
There are situations where we’ll need to work together face-to-face and there are opportunities to work away from the office. Regardless of the circumstances, looking at commercial real estate options and having a workplace is extremely important despite the ability to work from home. While many modern business owners, entrepreneurs, and business bloggers push for the idea of completely remote business, there are certain local advantages to having a communal workspace that can’t be ignored.
Certain businesses, such as creative ones, rely on face-to-face interactions and teamwork to brainstorm ideas and collaborate. There are also some businesses that rely on physical items, be it specialized hardware, design tools, or even machines to manufacture things. As such, more startups are ignoring the idea of a fully-online business. Instead, they focus on the advantages of having a commercial space to carry out their work.
The workplace is more than just a place of work
It sounds silly to say this despite the term “workplace”, but it’s true that a lot of people have their lives revolve around the workplace. Whether it’s socialising with colleagues, the physical activity of commuting to work, or even a sense of accomplishment and teamwork, there are many things that we gain from having a workplace.
There are, of course, many businesses that have flourished in the wake of the pandemic. Many businesses have realized that they can work just as efficiently with remote workflows, and some companies are even getting more business due to their online-centric business models. It’s safe to say that COVID-19 has forever changed the way we do business. Even without a pandemic to worry about, many companies have already restructured the way they work and will likely stick with remote working arrangements even after a vaccine is made.
Regardless, it’s a good idea to examine your workflow and ask if you really benefit from working from home, or if having the right safety precautions in place and inviting your employees to collaborate in-person is a better idea.