Advantages and Disadvantages of Working from Home

Jun 29, 2020

Let’s be real, no matter where you’re working from, you’re still doing just that: working.

So, should you work from home or work from the office? It honestly comes down to the environment you’ll be most effective in, along with the industry you’re in. (And how nice your home office is.)

With that said, let’s take a look at some of the classic benefits of telecommuting!

Advantages of employees working from home

With increasing numbers of employees working at home – or using home as a working base for at least part of the week – it’s clear there are a number of benefits for business, such as:

Improved employee retention– home working can help retain employees with an otherwise long daily commute.
Access to a wider pool of applicants– for example, such as those from more geographically remote areas, or people who may prefer to work from home.
Possible productivity gains– due to fewer interruptions, allowing more focused work.
Increased staff motivation– with staff having a better work/life balance.
Financial benefits– savings on office space and other facilities.
Convenience– ability to locate sales staff near clients rather than in your premises.
Better work/life balance– employees working from home can lead to improvements in health and well-being.

Disadvantages of employees working from home

Though there are some disadvantages to employees working at home, most of these relate to those working from home for all, as opposed to part, of their working week:

Difficulty monitoring performance– there could be difficulty managing home workers and monitoring their performance. See effectively manage employees who work from home.
Cost of working from home– initial costs of training and providing suitable equipment, including adaptations to meet health and safety standards.
Problems with staff development– difficulty of maintaining staff development and upgrading skills.
Information security risk– information security problems could be more likely to occur.
Increased telecommunications costs– for example, increase in telephone or broadband bills or the requirement to supply your employee with a mobile phone for work purposes.
Communication problems– could increase feelings of isolation amongst home workers.
Decreased staff morale– it can be harder to maintain team spirit when employees are working at different locations.
Not all jobs suit home working– working from home suits some jobs better than others. Equally, working from home suits some personality types but not others. Some people may prefer colleague contact by face to face communication.