As the remote working vs office debate continues when it comes to the return to humanity, there are cases to support the benefit of both. Working from home no longer limits talent to needing to be in one place, increases flexibility, and is also said to enhance productivity. One person who disagrees, however? Our very own chancellor, Rishi Sunak – saying that particularly at the start of careers, being in an office provides an advantage – relevant for those in entry level fashion jobs. But what about both sides of the debate? Here are the best reasons for and against working from home – showing that, overall there’s no true right answer, and the hybrid approach really is best.
For
- Interpersonal Relationships – The benefits of returning to the office largely revolve around the social aspects. Whilst virtual meetings and remote team drinks are great at enhancing rapport, meeting in person definitely elevates it all a notch. However, the social exposure of being in an office isn’t for everyone, so instead, making it optional alleviates pressure on the more introverted employees, ensuring they feel most comfortable and at their best.
- Creative Collaboration – be it marketing jobs, fashion design careers or even on the fashion merchandising side, we know that the retail industry is a creative one. Although we have managed to adapt to brainstorming and collaborating remotely, in-person working allows stimulation and an elevated situation in which workers can bounce off each other.
- A mutual base – Now that in-person meetings are back, a used office space provides a comfortable base and central location that people can head to. Often, offices are in an accessible area in cities and towns, meaning that the best possible talent are able to easily get to where they need to be.
- Supporting the local economy – Remember your favourite lunchtime restaurant or coffee spot? Us too. Many small businesses, and even chains in our favourite cities have been affected by the lack of footfall, and whilst it may not always be cost effective to be purchasing multiple coffees a day, it’s nice to have the opportunity to visit our most loved spaces once again.
Against
Less micromanagement – There’s nothing worse than feeling like your boss is watching your every move. Working in your own space that you feel comfortable in provides more freedom to stick to your own agenda and not feel pressured.
- Make working work for you – Not all companies allow flexitime, but remote working allows more movement in exactly how you use your hours.
- More structure to the day – Whilst structure, to some, is more of a linear approach, many have taken working from home into their own hands, crafting a routine that best works for them. Be it a lunchtime walk, a post-work gym class or a few hours working at your parents, days definitely can hold more intrigue when working remotely.
- Less distraction – There’s no surprise that, with no colleagues around, at-home productivity has increased tenfold. This is only elevated now that trips to the office are more occasional, meaning that those focused hours spent at home are more valuable than ever. A solution to this could be only having meetings on office days, leaving days at home to prioritise actually getting the work done.