Ah. The pandemic has changed so many things in the workplace. It’s been over a year since the stay-at-home order took effect and everyone was sequestered to their homes to figure it out on their own. Fortunately for our web development company, most everything we do is online anyway! Now, this was really great for our business to be able to adapt so easily. For most of us, work-from-home days were a part of our normal work week anyway. Sometimes, however, it’s not always so easy. Let’s compare working from home vs. working in the office.
Working from home certainly has its benefits. The best ones of course are: sweatpants always, getting to be near your fur babies, food and snacks available, sit in front of the tv, listen to whatever you want, and setting your own schedule to some degree. For me personally, my husband also works from home so it gives me a chance to see him throughout the day where I normally wouldn’t get to. However, it’s been difficult in some areas to work from home as well. I find it’s more challenging to get actual work done because other things are competing for my attention like the cat. Today, as I write this, Shenandoah University is having a game on the football field and my “office” is one thin wall away from the announcer. So it’s not always so peace and quiet.
Working from the office is nice, too. I find that my day at the office is a little bit more structured and maybe a bit more productive (some days). I also appreciate being able to walk into someone’s cube and ask them a question (or shout from the other side of the room). Meetings on zoom get the job done but meetings in-person help me feel more connected to the group and allow for some one-on-one conversation. Additionally, I have a larger screen and an extra monitor at my desk which allows for easier multitasking. As a bonus, we get company lunch on Mondays! Woo! On the other hand, I don’t have a comfy couch to sit on and the oven at my disposal for lunches.
At the end of the day, I am just fortunate to be working and have such a supportive team. If you ask me where I would prefer to be, I would pick the office, just my preference. But these are just some of the things I have encountered working from home vs. working in the office.