5 Reasons Why Working from the Office is Important

The pandemic changed how we work, primarily where we work. For the majority, working from home was the only option. Some of us coped better than others; however, many 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 eliminates commuting time and costs. According to Forbes, 74% of professionals expect remote working to become standard. For some businesses, it has worked so well that they are beginning to phase out their offices and make it permanent.

Saving money, commuting time, and flexibility all sound great; however, working in an office as a team has multiple benefits, too. Here are five 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 use technology such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Slack; however, these tools are nothing like 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

Working from the office is essential for hiring managers who focus on building a team. 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 that 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

Regarding 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. Every company strives for a good culture, but not every company successfully obtains it.

Tips to transform your company culture.

Working remotely doesn’t make creating a successful culture impossible but will likely 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 applying 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. For good reason. 42% of employed people admitted they had struggled with their mental health more than usual during COVID lockdowns. 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.

Bringing your team back to the office can quickly fix the feelings of isolation. 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 your employees' individual needs and struggles 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. However, they 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 p.m. 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 occur without blurred lines. Leaving at the end of the day is a clear sign your home life should begin and allows you to destress and recharge.

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

If you’re serious about building an effective team, culture and business, you should consider returning to the office - at least some of the time.