Over the last few months, many people who never thought about working from the comfort of their own homes have been forced to make it a reality. Coronavirus shut down offices and turned the whole world around, and even now, things are yet to return to the normality we always knew.

There are countless negatives that have occurred as a result of Covid-19, however, there is one positive that we can find if we look hard enough - more people have found a new way of working. 

There are people who never thought about working from home who were forced to try it as a result of the virus and now love it. These people are unlikely to go back to working in a bricks and mortar commercial office and instead, will stay at home and work from a high quality home office instead.

Is that your situation? 

Does that mean that the office of the future is going to be home-bound? Not at all. Working from home looks set to be a choice that many will make in the coming months and even years, but many still prefer to work from a contemporary office environment too. 

Let’s pit them against each other and see which comes out on top. 

Working From Home

The plus side of working from home is that you don’t have to commute to work every day, you save money on petrol and lunches, and you also don’t have to get dressed if you don’t want to! However, there are negatives too. 

It can be very difficult to avoid home-based distractions whilst you’re working and that could drastically affect your productivity over time. Learning how to manage these potential roadblocks is the crux of whether working from home is for you or not. Check out this infographic which talks about how you can succeed as a remote, at-home worker. 

Source - https://careerkarma.com/blog/remote-working-guide/

It might also be that you simply don’t have the space for a home office and in that case, you end up working in your actual living environment, e.g. your bedroom or living room. This has a psychological effect because it means you can never really switch off from work when your hours are done. In that case, ensuring you have a comfortable and suitable spot to work from and you are strict with your working hours are key. 

Working From an Office

For most people, working from a standard commercial office will be the preferred option. This is the traditional bricks and mortar office which contains an array of office furniture. It is also a space where a large amount of collaboration goes on, as well as the general hum of office life. 

Of course, the downside of working in a large office is the fact you need to commute there every morning, the risk of office conflicts, and the fact that working in this way simply might not fit in with the responsibilities you have at home. It’s about weighing up the pros and cons and finding a solution that works for you, but for most people, working from an office eliminates the risk of isolation, which can be a problem when working from home, and also maintains an easier way to remain productive and on track, without the risk of outside distractions. 

Which do you prefer? Perhaps you’ve tried working from home and you missed your colleagues. Maybe you tried it and loved it. Every office worker is an individual and that means their circumstances and preferences are just as unique. The office of the future is likely to be a far more flexible place, allowing everyone to find a working route that suits them best.