The benefits of hybrid working have been covered at length, with improved work-life balance and greater freedom among the many reasons why Pew research found 98% of people want to work remotely at least some of the time.
However, there are still great numbers of people who don’t quite see so many benefits as others, and for whom remote working (even just a few days a week) doesn’t hold quite the appeal.
If this sounds like you, there’s every chance you’re better served working in the more traditional manner. Here are three of the more common reasons for eschewing remote working.
1. Loneliness
The office isn’t just a place to silently get the work done, of course. It can be a social environment where people gather to chat about the latest developments – be that at the company itself or the wider world (or even just the latest TV sensation!).
For those who live alone or thrive in a social environment it can be surprising just how big an impact on their emotional wellbeing that remote working can cause.
2. Productivity
Being away from the office chatter allows some people to focus more on the job at hand. But that’s not the case for everyone. Whether it’s distractions from children, by not having a dedicated work space, or simply the creature comforts of home, productivity can take a hit. If this rings true, spending more time at the office may be better for focus and output – as well as helping to draw a clearer line between work and home.
3. Relationship building
Remote working does bring with it distance from colleagues – both literally and metaphorically. Without sharing the same physical space to talk and bond, it’s understandable that some workers feel detached from even their closest collaborators.
This was part of the reason why Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg pulled employees back into the office after the Covid-19 pandemic, claiming that in-person work and relationship building made it “easier to build trust” in people; relationships what would “help us work more effectively” in the future.
