Covid-19, and the current lockdown measures that it has provoked, have had an unprecedented impact on the way we all live our lives. We’ve been forbidden from congregating in large groups, we can’t travel for non-essential purposes, and our workplaces are being largely run by skeleton crews.
Among the more noticeable consequences is that more of us are working from home than ever before. But what happens when these lockdown measures are lifted? Are we going to want to go back to the way things were?
The answer, obviously, is going to vary considerably from person to person. What’s changed for everyone is the uncertainty. Having been forced to work from home, we all have a much better idea of what it entails, and what the limitations are. Post-covid-19, we’ll therefore be able to make an informed decision about whether the advantages justify the drawbacks.
But what are those advantages and drawbacks?
Advantages of working from home
The major point in favour of working from home is that it removes the necessity of a daily commute. Many of us sacrifice hours of our lives every week just getting from one place to another. This is time we can reclaim by working in the same place that we live. Travelling from London Victoria to East Croydon via train can take just over a quarter of an hour – but even that doesn’t account for the time you’ll spend walking and waiting for the train, to say nothing of the cumulative number of hours you’ll spend travelling over any given year.
Moreover, we’ll also spend less covering the cost of transport, and visits to filling stations and ticket offices will become a thing of the past. Plus, travelling imposes an environmental cost – unless, of course, you’re walking or cycling to work.
For those of us with families, working from home might be something of a double-edged sword, as it can be difficult to fully concentrate with children in the house. Of course, children will go back to school once the lockdown measures are relaxed, and thus home-workers will benefit from the quiet and solitude that comes with an empty house.
Downsides of working from home
While there are certainly merits to telecommuting, there are definite downsides. These will be most keenly felt among those who rely on face-to-face communication to do their job. Executives and brand ambassadors whose role it is to network may find it difficult to maintain relationships solely through video-chat software like Zoom.
There’s also a social aspect of work that many of us might be missing. This applies especially if you’re living alone, and need an outlet to actually interact with people, but those with families might welcome the opportunity to talk with semi-familiar faces.
Finally, working from home can have a detrimental impact on that all-important work-life balance. When you live in your place of work, you might find that the hours you commit begin to steadily climb, and you become tempted to clock in in the evenings and weekends. This is a downside that everyone who works from home must deal with, and the solution usually comes in the form of strict daily routines and self-discipline.
