Do We Really Need An Office? Pros and Cons
As the world was overcome by hysteria at the behest of the COVID-19 pandemic, those of us who sat back and paid attention to the vibes across the global workforce found one key question that everybody wanted to be answered. Because the majority of the worldwide population had been forced to work from home, and employers realized that they could trust their staff to get the work done—and then some—in any way they see fit, people started to wonder if we would ever have to go back into the office. Some people wanted to return because they love the workplace culture, but others were quite content with the prospect of working from home, in pajamas, for the rest of time. I can’t blame them—it’s pretty comfy.
So I figured I’d do a shortlist of pros and cons for and against the idea of working in the office. I’ll give you my highlights on each side, as I see it. Then, you can all debate it in the comments.
Pros:
Timekeeping
I don’t need to tell you that a lot of people are awful at being punctual and on time. Given that office hours are set before your introduction to the workplace and failing to keep in-time with them gets you scorned, people are taught to be better timekeepers. It’s regimented in the office, with set breaks and designated areas where you can behave in certain ways, and once you leave at the end of the day, with any luck, you won’t have to think about work again until the beginning of the next shift.
The Social Element
If you’re not a social butterfly, working in an office wouldn’t be for you until it is. Working in the office exposes you to a lot of people and a lot of characters; you find yourself learning, without any sort of courses, the interpersonal skills that make you stand out to recruiters. You’ll become more diplomatic, and with any luck, you’ll learn to accept differences without any sort of confrontation or conflict. So your ability to interact with diverse groups will be second-to-none, and you’ll probably make a few friends at the same time.
A Hive of Development and Experience
If you’re surrounded by experienced people, you will learn a thing or two. People come from different backgrounds, and the variety of experiences that they’ve had can expose you to whole new methods that you wouldn’t have figured out on your own. This is excellent for your professional development and can revolutionize your approach to the many problems you face. You can learn from everyone around you, and that’s often for the better.
Cons:
Noise Pollution
I don’t know about you, but one thing I cherished about my lockdown experience was the silence and solitude that it brought to my workday—unless the kids were a little noisy, of course. Working in the office can be a boisterous experience, and I sometimes find that my concentration gets ruined when there’s chatter in the background from just a couple of people, let alone a whole roster of staff. Not only that, isn’t it annoying when you can hear the endless ringing of telephones, and people barge into your office to demand your assistance or guidance?
Even for a social butterfly such as myself, the answer is: yes, yes it is.
Lack of Harmony
When you see people all day every day, they can get pretty annoying, don’t you think? With that in mind, being confined to four walls with a load of people who you may or may not rub the wrong way can be akin to sitting atop a ticking time bomb. This isn’t news. One wrong word and your workplace harmony, happiness, and contentment can go up in flames.
Comfortable? Probably Not
If you were looking for a comfortable place to sit, you’re unlikely to find it at work. Some contemporary workplaces are designed with you in mind, with plush beanbags, and hipster vibes all around, but for the most part, work isn’t a place of comfort. It should be, but isn’t, your employer’s job to provide you with all the creature comforts that working from home offers, and I don’t doubt that many people find themselves in far lesser health courtesy of their job in the office.
Well, there are my key pros and cons, which could change in the coming years—who knows? Rather than giving an outro, I’m simply going to say thanks for absorbing my opinion and feel free to drop yours into the comment section below.
Do we need an office? Yes or no?
