With more and more employees returning to the office for phased returns or a couple of days per week, it’ll take some time for people to get back used to working in a n office environment. Over the past 18 months, there’s been a crash-course in home-working for most office-based workers.
Like with most aspects of life, there are a pros and cons to both home-working and office-working, so with this in mind, let’s take a look at some of the benefits of getting back to the office and the things employees can look forward to.
Culture
We don’t know about you, but Zoom gets a little bit tedious after a while. We’ve all been on our fair-share of team calls and family calls over the last year or so and whilst they did help keep us connected, they’re nothing like the real thing.
Heading back into the office and seeing your work bestie, colleagues you haven’t caught up with properly for months or popping in to grab a coffee and have a chat at your local can be really important moments.
Being part of a workplace can feel important, especially for people that haven’t had the chance to integrate in-person. Spending time around colleagues makes you feel part of something bigger, which can make you happier and more productive at work.
Collaborate
Yes, you can certainly get stuff done from home and chatting to colleagues is obviously possible, but it’s not as easy as scooting over to a colleague’s desk and asking for their help with something.
Being able to collaborate in-person can be quicker and feels less awkward too. There are lots of moments or quick interactions that get lost, because they don’t translate as well online. It’s much harder for knowledge to be exchanged remotely, which is especially difficult for younger or more junior employees.
Spontaneous moments like a chat with a colleague in the corridor can spark creativity or new ideas. Or you might notice a colleague struggling on your way to grab a drink and help them out with some problem-solving or vice versa. These are all important opportunities for collaboration that are completely wiped out when you work remotely, but are all vital parts of office culture.
Productivity
Going into the office for work can end up giving you more of a clear line between work and home-life. Working from home means that your working patterns can get mixed up, interrupted or distracted, when they wouldn’t in the office because of the narrower focus and environment you’re in. This could mean that you’re more productive working in the office, as you’ll get all of your work done in a specific allotted time, instead of letting it spill into your leisure time at home.
If you’re interested in any of our serviced offices and e-spaces or would like to chat through options for your business then why not get in touch with our experienced team at Hyde Park House who are happy to help.