This week a certain large internet corporation issued a decree banning its staff from working from home.
The announcement is based on the belief that by working from home, the natural communication and collaboration of a ‘working side by side ethic’ is lost. Lead by the rationale that the lack of impromptu meetings of minds can ‘stifle’ creativity and impact on productivity, ultimately hindering the success of the business.
Employees used to the flexibility and convenience of working from home are now up in arms at the prospect of having to comply or leave. The counter argument of course is that by working from home individuals felt they had less distractions and were able to be more productive by avoiding general office chatter and politics.
Obviously there are benefits to both arrangements and I often feel that if I could lock myself away for an afternoon a week, it would free up more time to focus on the team properly, rather than having to constantly multitask and plate spin. However, I do agree that ultimately some of the best ideas are developed and tweaked by thought sharing over a cup of coffee and impromptu discussions. Not only that, but on a more personal level being in the office allows for better inter office networking and profile building which could ultimately facilitate your career progression.
Effective communication has been identified as one of the vital elements for business success, it has been proven time again that no other form of communication can supersede a face to face conversation. So, despite working from home’s obvious appeal, I am in agreement that a buzzing office environment genuinely is a more inspiring and productive workplace.
The post To work from home? Or not to work from home? That is the question. appeared first on FT Jobs.
