WFH or Work From Home, is something relatively new to me, which I only experienced during this COVID-19 quarantine. Some people like it, some people don’t. I belong to the category of those that are not a fan of WFH. Without taking into account the need or justification for WFH, let us consider the benefits and more particularly the limitations of such an arrangement.
Of course there are many advantages from WFH such as avoiding exposure or contamination to any virus or other disease. It saves so much time from commuting to and from work, you can dress up as casually as you like and being unsupervised or less “supervised” you have more latitude in conducting your activities and how much work you actually do. From the employers side, there is also some advantage in that they don’t feel responsible for any workplace mishaps and contamination, plus of course all the savings from office space and utilities.
However, in reality there are limitations from working from home. The top three that comes to mind is connectivity, equipment and facilities, and physical presence. If you think your internet connection is problematic in the office, your home connection if probably worse. The ability to use email, have conference calls and accessing information from the web is totally dependent on how good your internet connection is. If you have tried having a live on-line conference with someone who has a poor connection or you have a bad connection, you will understand that this is a stressful and frustrating experience.
While some people are lucky enough to have homes that have the same or better facilities than in the office, these are definitely the exception. Some of the equipment and facilities that most likely will not be as good as what is available in the office would be things like a suitable work space, desktop or laptop computers, correct lighting and ventilation, specialized equipment or software that is need to do your work properly, and of course all of the perks of the office pantry, gym and lounge.
It is also my opinion that video conferences, phone calls and emails will never be a substitute for a face to face meeting. This is because the emotional state and physical condition of the person you are meeting with is not as evident when you see each other electronically. It is much more difficult to discern if you are being lied to or not being told everything. The interaction is also limited and is not as intense when the person is not physically present. I suppose you can think of it as a pilot flying a drone compared to flying a real plane. Complicated, important and intense meetings will not have the same impact and results if it is done on-line as compared to an actual live meeting.
Finally, I think the discipline of being seen 100% in your entirety, makes you also behave differently. Wearing a shirt and tie while in your boxer shorts to attend video conferences will eventually erode your professionalism. It also makes a big difference when you can see the boss and the boss can see you in your office environment, where the dynamics of interaction is more productive.
While it is true that there are certain things that can be done more efficiently on-line like paying your bills, making a deposit and ordering take-out, in most cases, this is not so in a work environment. A personal relationship is best built in person. Think about it, would you promote someone you just know on-line or someone you have coffee with every day?
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