Working from home vs working in an office: which one is better?

For many of us, it is hard to determine which is better between working from home and working in an office. It is because we need to consider various factors. Anyone will have to weigh the pros and cons before choosing between a remote job and a job office.

The office job is somewhat hectic because of its time specification. We should go and perform our duties no matter what we are going through. Some people believe, making money online at home is much easy and flexible when it comes to time management and social life. 

For others, the strict working hours of an office are essential, and they need to separate work from home. They believe that the time spends at home is for family life, relaxation, and entertainment. These people are not usually productive at home.

Here are some elements to help you decide:

	Working from home	Working in an office
Flexibility	It is much easy to change working hours.	Very few companies have flexible hours for their employees.
Time management	In some cases, you get to make your schedule.	A manager usually sets working hours.
Social life	You may stay days without meeting other people unless you decide otherwise.	People often make friends, or sometimes they even meet their spouse at work.
Family life	It is often easier to free much time for the family.	Separate work from family life is vital for some people.
Saving money	Help saving money	Require extra expenses on clothes, commuting, and eating out.
Safety	Lower the risk of virus contamination	Much exposure to viruses and other diseases.
Productivity	Working in a quiet room at home may help focus and increase productivity.	A better teamwork in the office can boost productivity.

Who can benefit from working at home

Working from home helps parents: Remote jobs are great for moms and dads, especially for single parents. It may help to save money on children’s daycare. The ones who know how to manage time can benefit from extra time with family.

Entrepreneurs and self-employed workers can benefit from working remotely. They make their schedule without having to include the commute time. It also allows cutting on the cost of renting an office.  

Working from home is often the only way disabled people can make a living. Although more companies are improving accessibility for the disabled, working onsite is rarely the best choice. Many part-time jobs for disabled people encompass hours at home and in an office.

People looking for remote online jobs like social media influencers, internet marketers, developers, and virtual assistants are usually pleased to work from the comfort of their homes. Online earning has made life easier for many people who were willing to learn how to make money on the internet.

Who can benefit from an office job

The ones who enjoy a traditional nine-to-five job generally appreciate working in an office. They feel good as employees and do not mind having a boss. Our school system and family mostly show people how great to find a job rather than creating wealth.  

Many people need to be around coworkers since they may have a needy family life and social life. All their lives revolve around the time spent at work and may often focus on career. They hardly have any friends outside the workplace. 

Some people are not productive at home. They have a hard time planning work and get easily distracted. They do not know how to set up barriers and let people in even during working hours. They may perform better in a place where everyone is working.

Sometimes, the house is not appropriate for doing a job. Some people do not have enough privacy and space at home. They have no quiet place or room where they can work. It can be the case for the members of a large family living in a small house or for roommates. 

Time management in the office and at home

Time management for office jobs

Workers usually have a timetable and are expected to work a certain number of hours. There are four main factors to consider: 

• meeting a deadline and do the work required in the office
• deal with commute time (public transportation, traffic jam, and unexpected event occurring on the road to work)
• spare times for family and relatives
• manage social life, exercising, and hobbies

Time management working at home

Unlike the specified timings in office work, remote workers may also perform some tasks in their spare or flexible time. Except for virtual meetings, many companies allow working flexible hours. It can be an opportunity or a burden depending on how good you are at scheduling.

Entrepreneurs and contractors who run their businesses at home should be extremely good at planning. Getting the most out of your time can be the difference between struggling to make a living and achieving financial freedom.

Job-related expenses and savings

Job-related expenses vary depending on the type of jobs and many other factors. For example, someone who lives far from the office will spend more money on transportation that a remote worker.

Work-related expenses for a job office

Commuting has a cost. Many office jobs require either the use of a car or public transportation. Some people buy a car only because it is convenient to go to work. 

Going to the office implies you need extra clothes. Even people who work in uniforms need to invest in some clothing. Office workers also spend more on makeup and other beauty products.

Unless you get to work close to your house, you will also spend some money eating out. It can be costly to eat healthy foods when you do not cook at home. 

Work from home expenses 

Working from home help to avoid spending money on eating out, clothes, and transportation. 

But, depending on your job, you may need to invest in proper equipment or a home office. It can be quite costly for someone who uses advanced technology for doing his job. 

Importance of productivity tools 

Productivity tools allow the automation of grueling but essential day-to-day tasks. By facilitating exchanges between team members, they can enhance the capacity of the whole chain. 

Productivity tools are handy for remote workers and also for office jobs. Here are some advantages of using productivity tools:

• improve communication and task coordination 
• help to have a better quality of work
• increase revenue and profitability
• facilitate management and allow to work successfully on multiple projects
•  suitable to establish action plans and long-term strategies
• can englobe social media and centralize to avoid confusion created by too many means of communication
• help workers to focus on better customer service by freeing them from other repetitive tasks
• lower the workload and get happy workers 

Tools can not solve all the problems at work, and some of them have a steep learning curve. In this case, it is worth getting proper training. But, they definitively can have a positive impact on management, productivity, and earnings. 

Office productivity tools and work from home productivity tools

Some productivity tools are extremely beneficial for working from home and others are handy for office jobs. Without these tools working from a distance is much complicated and slow.

Here is a list of some authentic tools that could be useful for both home and office. 

Evernote

This is the most valuable tool used to submit your tasks. You can have quick access to your work and make a note of everything you do or have to do in the coming days. It’s available for both IOS and Android devices, and you can understand its features without any effort. 

Todoist 

It’s another incredible app to provide ease of work. The part is that it can work offline and you can collaborate with your colleagues while sitting at home. The remote job was not easy before using this amazing tool in managing your tasks and make a note of a to-do list. 

Toggl 

Toggl is the best replacement for timesheets, and you can count your working hours without any trouble. If you are working hourly, this tool is the must-have thing for you. In case to keep an eye on employee performance, you can install this tool in your system and count the working hours of every employee individually. 

Syncbackfree

It’s a fantastic tool to link back your important documents. You can an easy and quick access to your system and get the file that you need immediately. You can have a backup of your data and its fully protected and reliable application to determine your work needs. 

MindMeister 

MindMeister has solved the problem of many people in providing the perfect infrastructure to your work. You can doodle your ideas, and the application will mimic the solutions. You can choose the best possible solution for you and it will help you in emerging as an expert. 

webex vs zoom vs teams

Webex, Zoom, and Microsoft teams were created by three US-based companies offering services relating to communication technology. They are commonly used for videoconferencing, online education, and their chat rooms.

But they all have their specificities that can make one platform more convenient for a remote workforce and others more suitable for office work. Here are elements of comparison for Webex, Zoom, and teams:

Microsoft teams platform allows auto-generated closed captions, persistent chat, collaboration outside of meeting time and is the only one that is entirely free.  

Webex meetings and Zoom allow you to stream your meeting to Facebook live. It is possible to integrate them into a Canvas course. They both have a free plan which gives limited access to their platform, and you may need to upgrade to benefit from all the features. 

Common features for Webex, zoom, and Microsoft teams

• chat room
• meeting recording
• one-to-one chat and groups
• screen share
• annotation
• meeting collaboration
• compatible with mobile
• access to a whiteboard
• video stream with audio sound
• personal meeting space
• breakout rooms
• role assignment
• transferring host role/passing host duties
• outlook integration
• persistent chat

Collaboration applications are essential to managing a remote team. Managers can communicate in real-time with workers while they are in their home office. They help to organize virtual meetings, webinars, and online training for team members.

People working from home and companies with workers in multiple offices widely use Webex, Zoom, and Microsoft teams. These apps make delocalization, outsourcing, and telecommuting easier.

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