There was a time where getting a white-collared office job was pretty much the definition of success. Working in a professional environment, better job security and higher pay, all meant that office jobs were in demand and held in very high regard. Fast-forward a few decades and the rise of the internet, increasing living costs and travel times mean that many people are seeing working in an office, or fixed location even, as a hindrance, and are willing to sacrifice much of what was mentioned previously in exchange for the flexibility of working remotely. So many people find themselves at a crossroads; do they look for a stable office job, go for flexible freelance work, or look for the middle ground.
Below we shall compare the two, from an employee’s perspective, to help you figure out which one is right for you. Bear in mind this will be different from an employers perspective.
Office
Although there has been a rise in the number of remote workers due to a variety of factors such as new jobs coming onto the market allowing such work, businesses and landlords are fighting back and creating much more productive and attractive spaces. Their increasing ability to quickly change to what businesses and employees want has fuelled the growth in the office space sector, with none more so evident than with WeWork. They have been gobbling up office spaces in prime locations and turning them into modern, more densely populated spaces, lowering the overhead cost per head.
As an employee, you want a working environment that is conducive to your work, be it productivity, creativity, or a mix of both. Organisations are understanding this and designing offices to cater to different employees needs. Working at home can be more distracting than working from an office, and the money spent on travel and food can be undone quickly by lower productivity and increasing utilities bills at home. If you are the type of employee who likes to be able to quickly communicate face-to-face with colleagues, then the office will still be the obvious choice for you.
An advantage of working in an office is the camaraderie that is created within the working environment. Seeing colleagues daily can enhance relationships, and give you a better understanding of the business as a whole; something which is difficult to replicate for remote workers.
Remote work
Ideal for those who are tired of working in an office, and are after something more flexible; maybe because they need to look after the kids at home, or commuting takes up too much of their time and money, remote work can be more than ideal. Working remotely can give you the option to work from somewhere that suits you – maybe you prefer to work outside when you need a bit of inspiration, or possibly from bed when you feel lazy but still need to get things done – remote working can allow for all of this.
For those that still need to attend meetings and conference calls, these can still just as easily be undertaken online as long as you have an internet connection, or even renting out a meeting room or office space for a few hours from the multitude of providers on the market with an online room booking system. Don’t let the traditional way of working take a stranglehold on your life if you have the option!