Why do some employees prefer working remotely, while others would rather work in an office?
CIO Strategic Advisor in Services (non-Government), 2 - 10 employees
I would love to be able to permanently work remotely because I'm much more efficient in that setting. It's easier to cycle in and out of things and still get the work done without having that commute. But for the folks that don't have a multi-bedroom apartment or house, their own bedroom or kitchen is their office. Working from home presents a mental health challenge for them because that one space is where they live, sleep, eat and work. Over time that will work itself out and people will start to understand ways to cope with that situation. But two years ago, we didn't have this problem. If you had people that tended to work remotely before, it might be on a temporary basis or they'd have a specific place that they could call their office.Advisor | Investor | Former CIO in Services (non-Government), Self-employed
I think we'll start to figure out that it doesn't have to be either/or. We'll come up with new configurations and new ways to give people the space that they need.
SVP - Software Engineering in Finance (non-banking), 201 - 500 employees
Ultimately personal preference but a lot factors play into it. After talking with various people over the last few years, here are a few observations: - in office people tend to be extraverts or don’t have a great work at home situation (eg a small studio they share with roommates) or people who live close to the office that likes routine or people who need to collaborate with others in their team on a regular basis or younger people who want to get mentored
- work from home people tend to live further away from the office or have a great work from home setup (eg seperate office) or are more introverted or can do most of the work alone or have familial obligations (kids, parents, spouse, etc)
We’ve demonstrated that we can definitely get work done remote but I’m still a strong believer that building trust and relational ties is best in person, so even fully remote teams should find ways to interact every once in a while in person
Managing Director in Manufacturing, 51 - 200 employees
I don't think the role of the employee is talked about enough. Are they a developer who works using a moder IDE that allows staff the best platform to pair and collaborate. It may be better for then to be remote then to goto thr office call one another and sit in two desks. The opposite of this is a people leader who's is trying to build a better understanding of the entire organization, increasing the scale and scope of their influence. It never hurts to take some for food or a coffee, that's hard todo remotely. CIO in Software, 51 - 200 employees
Flexibility is the key word. Thanks to WFH, every one is able to do Dad's / Mom's/Son/Daughter duty more efficiently. Async working hours is a big win-win. Secondly there is a genuine demand from management to measure output rather working hours. Thirdly, traffic, jostling and a feeling of getting tied up is another deterrent in working from officeGroup Executive, IT in Services (non-Government), 51 - 200 employees
I have spoken to people both internally and externally, here is a quick summary:Working remotely:
- save time & money & energy, and the planet by cutting out the commute
- fit in personal/life tasks in the working hours, such as self care (exercises, medical appointments, naps, etc.); caring for family (young or/and old); and the community (using local services)
- better concentration and focus due to the lack of noises and interruptions as in the open office environment
Working in the office:
- easier to collaborate with colleagues face to face, better communication and business outcome
- social interaction (coffee, lunch, drinks, etc.) provides enjoyment and helps with team bonding and relationships
- easier to set up work-life boundaries by being in different physical locations, helps with unplugging after work
Most people indicate that 2-3 days from home, or 2-3 days in the office is a good balance, to get the best of both worlds.
Director of IT in Travel and Hospitality, 1,001 - 5,000 employees
I think workers that prefer remote value the freedom and flexibility you get, while those that prefer in office value the structure/routine and/or social interaction you get. I think many of us have learned that working remote doesn’t necessarily mean a loss in productivity, or that going into the office means more. Some workers strive in one environment or the other, while some can benefit from both.
CIO in Hardware, 1,001 - 5,000 employees
It depends on the kind of concentration & atmosphere one has. Personally, I love to work from home & get a lot of ideas for improvement. In office, usually, people keep coming in to meet hence it becomes difficult to focus. My Mantra for myself, Mon & Fri, in office, other days WFH.. If we have everything driven by timelines and people are able to deliver then WFH is the best. Some people are not able to concentrate at home due to many factors like smaller homes, smaller children wanting to play.. etc. There is no set rule or a psychological reason behind it.. depends on many factors.. Group Chief Information Officer in Construction, 5,001 - 10,000 employees
I believe it is all depends on work culture, role nature and person situation as well:-Working from home will give you a lot of family/personal time, saving the commute time, saving the planet form pollution reducing the traffic in the streets, reducing the collaboration and human interaction.
-Working from office might give you the formality, focus and human interaction with the team that no telecommunication tool can offer .
If the nature of your role involve a lot of human discussions and discussion i believe office will be much better for us as humans.
Director of IT in Software, 51 - 200 employees
I spoke with a friend who was happy his department decided to allow his team to WFH. The moment he had to go back to the office just to pick up something, he realized WFH was better than coming into the office. Traffic, the cost of parking, and the cost of gas to get back and forth were some of the things he mentioned. Content you might like
Shared45%
Discrete47%
Unsure4%
It depends (please comment below!)2%
520 PARTICIPANTS
CTO in Software, 201 - 500 employees
Without a doubt - Technical Debt! It's a ball and chain that creates an ever increasing drag on any organization, stifles innovation, and prevents transformation.Community User in Software, 11 - 50 employees
organized a virtual escape room via https://www.puzzlebreak.us/ - even though his team lost it was a fun subtitue for just a "virtual happy hour"
Yes, we’ve done this successfully8%
Yes, but it’s still in early stages71%
Not yet, but I plan to15%
No, but I’d like to6%
No, and I don’t plan to0%
52 PARTICIPANTS
I had a conversation with a fellow CIO who said that they were talking with a few of their staff about coming back to the office and the answer was no, because the gas prices are so extreme.