When I joined a new organisation during the COVID-19 pandemic, I knew I had to brace myself for the new reality. Remote working had already become commonplace across the world. Job interviews, hiring, orientation, meetings, each aspect of an organisation had become virtual. For people like me, who were starting a new job in the middle of the pandemic, the new normal was even more absurd.
I didn’t have the opportunity to meet my colleagues at all. But, after almost one and a half years since the pandemic forced workplaces across India and the rest of the world to switch to remote working, many organisations are mulling a return to the office.
As the vaccination drive is underway in the country, many organisations are bound to follow suit. While recent predictions about the pandemic’s third wave have caused further uncertainty regarding the possibility of a full-fledged return to the office, discussions around the hybrid work model—which enables employees to work from office and home—are also underway.
This has led to a new discussion: remote working versus work from office, which one is better? Having worked remotely for over a year, many employees are hesitant to go back to the offices. The very thought of wading through traffic to reach the office scares many and they would rather prefer to continue working from home. Meanwhile, some feel that remote working has created issues in striking the work-life balance, which is why they may want to return to offices. Amid such a polarised scenario, what is the road ahead for workplaces? Here are a few observations that I have gauged through my experience as a remote worker.
No more traffic woes
Traffic was always the biggest buzz-killer for me before the pandemic. I remember how I used to leave early to avoid peak hours and reach office on time. I would desperately hope for unexpected traffic snarls—or sometimes technical glitches in the metro—to not cause delay in my commute to the office. But no matter what I did, I lost several hours being stuck in traffic jams.
Thanks to remote working, now the need for commuting to the workplace was eliminated. I no longer had to dread going through the harrowing ordeal of commuting on jam-packed roads or experience the ear-shattering noise of vehicles. While staying at home, I could finally time my mornings efficiently and spend more time planning my day or engaging in a quality meditation session.
Boost in savings
Since I no longer had to commute to the office, I saved up on the expenses that would be consumed by the daily office commute. I also realised the extra costs, such as spending money on buying office wear, ordering meals, snacks and refreshments among other miscellaneous expenditures, ate a significant chunk of my earnings. Now, I could save a lot more money and use it for my personal needs and investments.
The hybrid work model combines remote and office work, aiming to strike a balance between flexibility, productivity, human interaction, and communication clarity.
Remote working eliminates the need for commuting, saving time and reducing the stress of traffic jams, allowing for more efficient mornings and planning.
Remote work eliminates expenses related to commuting, office wear, meals, and snacks, allowing individuals to save more money and allocate it to personal needs and investments.
Virtual communication often involves technical issues such as background noises, echoes, and lags, which can hamper effective discussions compared to in-person interactions.
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