The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the way we live and work. Around the globe, many businesses have transitioned operations to their workers’ homes to keep workers and the public safe and slow the spread of the virus. From COVID-19’s outset, social distancing requirements presented employers with the challenge of striking a balance between keeping business as usual while keeping workers physically distanced. Even now, nearly a year since the start of the pandemic and as more and more countries begin to roll out vaccines, what started as unusual business has become business as usual. Making working from home the solution for social distancing is now a business best practice with countless benefits (and some challenges), some of which are detailed below.

Many Workers Are More Productive When Working From Home 

Before making the transition to working from home full time, employers and employees alike expressed anxiety about making such a massive change. However, studies show that many employees are more productive than ever. Working from home provides a comfortable, quiet, convenient space to do work. Workplace technology has evolved to make working from home more efficient, and people have evolved alongside the technology. Many workers are now fluent in the art of setting up virtual calls, collaborating and providing feedback for work online, and even performing tasks that were once thought to be only available in person, like staff meetings and negotiations. Working from home has also instilled in workers the value of taking regular, meaningful breaks to stay more productive. Taking small breaks throughout the day has been shown to keep workers fresh and help them work past midday sluggishness. Finally, at least for now, stressors like commuting are a thing of the past, giving workers more free time to make the most of their workday and improving people’s moods, helping them stay motivated. 

Working From Home Restores a Work-Life Balance 

Being forced to work in an entirely different way has taught people the importance of being flexible, rolling with the punches, and reconsidering what work/life balance looks like. On the one hand, being home more means workers have more time to spend with family and pets in their own space. On the other, working from home blurs the lines between work-life and home-life, which can make it difficult to fully relax and recharge away from work. On the whole, people seem to be growing into the new work from home world, enjoying the balance and freedom it provides. 

Working From Home Can Be Challenging 

Working from home presents its own unique difficulties. With kids and family members running through the background of virtual meetings, poor WiFi connections creating communication barriers, and in-person collaboration being a thing of the past, workers have a slew of new challenges to adapt to and overcome. Working from home is also very isolating, particularly for people who live alone. Many people value their workplace for the interpersonal, in-person connections it fosters. Working from home strips away that in-person element. Some find it comforting to think about how these challenges are being faced by people around the world, across countless industries. There are online forums dedicated to venting about work from home challenges. This shared battle is also one that brings colleagues and workplaces closer.