Since the pandemic changed the way we live, working from home is now standard practice for anybody who does not need to physically go into an office or other place of business in order to carry out their day to day duties effectively. Many digital marketing professionals are already quite experienced when it comes to working from home, though agencies and organisations that operate from office premises are still very much alive. In the UK, the Prime Minister has recommended that everybody who can go back into an office or their usual place of business should try to do so. This has split opinions with many people arguing that they are more productive while working from home, whereas others say they miss the routine and rituals of the standard office set up. In this article, Probella discuss the plus points of both options for digital marketing professionals.
Office
Human Interaction
Social distancing, though effective in terms of controlling infection rates, is profoundly unnatural. Human beings are social animals and as such, are attuned to spending time with other people. Offices may not be everybody’s favourite place, but they do allow people to interact with each other, which in turn promotes a sense of unity and overall wellbeing. Though some prefer to work insolation so they can fully concentrate on the task at hand, others need the conversation and general day to day interactions that take place in office environments.
Meetings and Collaboration
Ideas often flow more effectively when people can bounce off each other and interact in person. This is not the case for everybody, but for many creatives, collaboration and meetings with others are the heart and soul of their working life. Offices provide countless opportunities to get instant, informal feedback on unfinished work or to discuss your approach with somebody who can help you to see things from a different perspective. Though Zoom and Google Teams can provide an alternative, they are still no replacement for the real thing.
Work/Life Balance
When you work in an office or a place of business that is separate to your home, it is much easier to draw a line between your working life and your personal life. Home working definitely has its advantages, but it can be exceedingly difficult to differentiate when the working day starts and ends. Office working means that you can remain focused on the tasks you need to do for a set number of hours each day, then “switch off” and return to the other elements of your life that are important to you. Whether this is family life, socialising, hobbies or just relaxation time.
Productivity
This point won’t apply to everybody as some people are genuinely far more productive when they work from home, but for many, the distractions, the lack of professional working space and factors such as children, pets or partners mean they don’t get as much done. Meetings and interruptions notwithstanding, offices are arguably one of the best ways to ensure productivity remains relatively constant through the working week. This allows you to plan and schedule work loads effectively.
Home
Flexibility
Home based working offers the greatest amount of flexibility and whether you are a designer, an administration professional or a customer service executive, working from your house means that you can attack your to do list in a way that suits you. For parents and those with family commitments, home working can mean that you can slot in simple tasks such as replying to emails, filling spread sheets, or taking care of expenses at times when you would usually be commuting. Providing that you can still do the same number of hours while working at home, this amount of flexibility can be a considerable bonus for most people.
Focus
For creatives, focus is paramount. Writers, designers, musicians, and anybody who needs to work without interruptions will all tell you that their number one source of frustration in the workplace is being disturbed in the middle of a task. Home working creates the opportunity for intense periods of undisturbed focus, which means projects that require a great deal of concentration can be completed quickly and thoroughly. There is a caveat to this, in that you will need to ensure that you have a room or a space you can use for work where you are guaranteed not to be disturbed at any point during the day. For single people or those who’s partners work outside of the house during the day, this is quite easy to organise. For those with young children, it is not always this simple.
Money Saving
Commuting, buying lunch, after work drinks, meals with clients and day to day expenses like coffee and parking fees can all end up costing you a lot more than you think. Since the lockdown in March, many of the UK’s office workers have expressed their concern about returning to the office way of life due to the hidden expenses this approach to work often creates. If you are organised and disciplined, working from home can be a great way to make substantial savings on your overall monthly spending. Eating lunch, you have made yourself, drinking coffee from the store and not having to pay for fuel or transport tickets will all help to minimise what you have need to pay for on a daily basis.
Mental Wellbeing
For some people, offices are difficult places to be. The freedom, flexibility and comfort of home working has been proven to increase the overall mental wellbeing of many professionals. This is not the case for everybody, but for those with a more introverted disposition or an aversion to being around too many people at once, it can make a significant difference to their overall health. The knock-on effect of this means that productivity is higher and ultimately, work can get done to much higher standard.
