5 Reasons Why Working from the Office is Important

The pandemic has changed much about how we work, especially where we work. For the majority, working from home has been the only option. Some of us have coped better than others; however, now the restrictions of the pandemic are easing, lots of managers, business owners and leaders are faced with the ultimate question, do we continue to work remotely, or do we return to the office?

Remote working offers employees flexibility and removes commuting time and costs, and according to Forbes, 74% of professionals expect remote working to become standard. For some businesses, remote working has worked so well that they are beginning to phase out their offices and are making remote working permanent.

Saving money, commuting time and flexibility all sound great; however, working in an office as a team has multiple benefits too. Here are 5 very important reasons why you should work from the office, either full or part-time.

1. Collaboration

2. Team

3. Culture

4. Employee Wellbeing

5. No blurred lines

1. Collaboration

Working from home has made everyone utilise technology such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Slack; however, these tools are nothing close to face-to-face collaboration.  

According to research cited by marketing software developer HubSpot, remote meetings generate an average of 10.43 ideas, while in-person meetings generate an average of 13.36. In-person collaboration is not only more effective but could potentially be more profitable for your business.

If your company relies on effective communication (most do), you should consider being in the office at least some of the time.

There is always room to improve and encourage collaboration.

2. Team

For hiring managers who focus on building a team, working from the office is essential. Teams rely on communication and collaboration, and the effectiveness of remote communication tools can only go so far. Face-to-face interaction builds trust and fosters up to 30% more productivity.

For hiring managers, you want to build a team and not simply hire individuals.

Not only does face-to-face interaction increase productivity, but it is also essential for new starters and the onboarding process. New additions to your team need to see how your team works to learn from them and understand the processes and culture. Successful onboarding for new starters can decrease your company turnover, saving you money and time on employee replacement and search – something which every company can benefit from.

Working in the office also maintains workplace standards within your team and helps create company cultures that cannot be created when working from home.

3. Culture

When we talk about company culture, we mean more than a ping-pong table and free coffee. A good company culture consists of a collaborative environment, where employees, managers and leaders support one another to reach company goals.  It also refers to the attitude and behaviour of everyone in the company and how they work. A good culture is something that every company is striving for, but not every company successfully obtains it.

Tips to transform your company culture.

Working remotely doesn’t make creating a successful culture impossible, but it is likely to make it significantly more difficult.  How do you know the attitudes and behaviour of everyone in the company if you don’t see them? and how can employees successfully create strong relationships with people they ‘work with’ when working remotely 100% of the time?

Not only is culture important for existing employees – it is important when you are looking to expand your team. 46% of job seekers cite company culture as very important when choosing to apply to a company, so consider working on your company culture by getting your team together regularly in the office to strengthen collaboration and employee relationships.

4. Employee Wellbeing

One of the prominent topics during Covid and lockdown was mental health, and for good reason. 42% of employed people admitted they had struggled with their mental health more than usual during COVID lockdowns, and a staggering 90% said that the coronavirus had at least some impact on their mental health. 41% of employed people also reported feeling more anxious and isolated than ever due to the lockdown.

The feelings of isolation can quickly be fixed by bringing your team back to the office. Not all employees have the support or company they need at home, so providing the option for social interaction at the office is important.

Mental health costs UK employers approximately £2.4 billion every year, and although providing social interaction at the office won’t fix all mental health issues, it will certainly help those suffering from isolation.

Understanding the individual needs and struggles of your employees enables you to offer support and provide solutions.

Managers and colleagues often pick up on people’s issues, whether they are work, home or relationship-related. Managers and colleagues can’t step in when people are working remotely.

5. No blurred lines

For some industries being available at all times of the day is essential. In roles such as sales, being available at 9 p.m. could mean the difference between hitting targets or not; however, for most, working at all times of the day can lead to burnout and mental health issues.

Working from home presents multiple issues; however, blurred lines on when you should be working are perhaps the most prominent. Picking up emails at 11 pm just before bed, because your laptop is in front of you, may not seem like a big deal; however, it can become unhealthy if you don’t have a separation between your work and home life.

Blog: Do you want the right to switch off?

Working in an office presents a clear place where your work should take place without any blurred lines. Leaving at the end of the day is a clear sign your home life should begin and gives you an opportunity to destress and recharge.

Mentally switching off is essential to stay motivated, relaxed and engaged.

Now that restrictions are lifting, working from an office is now an option again, and employers should appreciate the benefits working from an office includes. If you’re serious about building an effective team, culture and business, you should consider getting back in the office - at least some of the time.