In recent years, the debate over remote work versus office work has intensified, especially in light of the global shift caused by the pandemic. The question now is whether companies should continue to embrace the work-from-home model or encourage employees to return to the office. At Healthbox, we believe that workplace well-being should always be at the forefront of any discussion about work environments.
Our very own Head of Wellbeing, Cara Blanchard, dives into the benefits and challenges of both home and office working. Inspired by this insightful piece from Melanie Evans at Brightstar Events, we explore the key questions that everyone seems to be asking in 2024:
Should companies be encouraging (or mandating) their teams to return to the office for set days of the week?
Is working from home affecting (positively or negatively) team members' mental health? And what about their physical health?
Should work from home be scrapped entirely?
Are individual employees really responsible for boosting the economy?
Benefits of working from home
As Melanie points out, “remote work can alleviate stress associated with commuting, office politics, and noisy work environments.” During our Ergonomic Workstation Assessments, we are hearing that many team members feel they can be more productive at home, away from the in-office questions, coffee breaks and general yapping (to borrow a Gen Z phrase).
Data certainly supports that time in the office is not always productive, with a 2022 study showing that socialisation was the second highest reason people liked going to their offices to work (Barrero, Bloom, and Davis).
The same study also showed that even with the stress and disruption of 2020 and 2021, people were more productive at home than prior to 2020 when working in the office. A lot of this comes down to a reduction in wasted time getting ready and travelling to and from work. We know most Aucklanders would agree!
Three-quarters or more of the productivity gains that we find are coming from a reduction in commuting time. With people spending an average of 35% of their saved commuting time on work.
Another thing to consider is what people are able to do with the other 65% of time not spent commuting. In 2023, 12.2% of individuals who took part in a Healthbox HealthCheck were not currently exercising, and a further 46% were exercising but not meeting the recommended 150-minutes of exercise per week. Giving people back minutes, if not hours, at the beginning and end of each day means they have more time and energy to exercise regularly which has enormous known benefits for both their physical and mental health.
Benefits of working from the office
While I think working from home can be beneficial for a number of reasons, I’m also here to fly the flag for time in the office.
During HealthChecks we often have team members raise concerns around the lack of separation between work and personal life that came with working in lounges, kitchens and even bedrooms over the past five years. Not having a clear demarcation between work time/environment and home time/environment is challenging for people mentally, which can lead to work constantly being at the forefront of their minds with no ability to switch off. In the 2022 Barrero, Bloom, and Davis study, 44.4% of respondents rated improved boundaries between work and personal life as a top three benefit of being able to go back to the office. There is a lot to be said for being able to work in one environment, and then physically and mentally leave that environment at the end of the work day.
Additionally, our ability to collaborate and work creatively with team members is enhanced when in person, and this type of work is crucial for most businesses.
We also know that this collaboration and socialisation, productive or not, is important for people to grow their support networks and boost mental wellbeing. Humans by nature are social creatures and too much time connecting only via chats and calls can leave us feeling isolated and removed from society.
So, what to do?
I know it feels like I am choosing to sit on the fence, but ultimately I think that moderation is the key here. Exclusively drinking coffee all day isn’t great for you, but 1-2 cups per day probably improves your productivity. Just like this, exclusively working from home might not be fantastic for the individual or business long term, but having the option to spend 1-3 focused days at home per week likely has its benefits for most people's productivity, and physical and mental health.
We are seeing a trend starting to appear amongst our partner organisations mandating set days of the week as office days, with flexibility to work from home on other days, if the individual chooses too. This strikes the right balance between encouraging collaborative work, fostering social connections and establishing work/life boundaries, whilst allowing people autonomy in their week to save time on commutes and to put aside quiet time to focus on tasks that require 100% of their energy. It also creates for consistency and continuity across the business, while still providing flexibility.
If your organization is navigating the complexities of balancing remote and office work, Healthbox is here to help. We specialize in workplace well-being and offer a range of services designed to support your team's overall health and productivity. From tailored consultations on optimising work environments to comprehensive well-being assessments, our expertise can guide your business in creating a harmonious balance between remote and office-based work. Striking the right balance is essential not only for maintaining productivity but also for fostering the mental and physical well-being of your team—areas where Healthbox can provide valuable insight and actionable solutions.
Barrero, Jose Maria, Nicholas Bloom, and Steven J. Davis, 2021. “Why working from home will stick,” National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper 28731.
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