Working from home, the office, or remotely
Working from the office, home, or fully remotely is a topic that has been coming up a lot in recent discussions. Developers have generally always been more remote-friendly than most other industries. The Covid years proved that even further. But since then, many companies have started requiring people go to the office.
I have my own opinions on which I prefer, but this article is intended to be free from my personal bias. I try to present the opinions of everyone I've ever talked to about it. I've done my best to recall as many opinions I've heard, but I'll probably update this article as I find new interesting takes.
I present these "as is", i.e as expressed by each person, without any further comment from me.
Any manager or leader who has influence over the office working setup should read this, think about all the different opinions, and talk to their employees to hear their personal stories.
A blanket rule is often not what is best for individuals.
If something is not good for individuals, it's often not what is best for teams.
If something is not good for teams, it's often not what is best for companies.
You get the idea.
Focus
I can't focus in the office
They find the office is a great chance to see others, but found it hard to focus with others around them. Either there are conversations happening in their area, or people come up to talk to them about something, interrupting their concentration.
I can't focus at home
They are disrupted by a noisy home environment, due to family, construction, and the daily chores of regular life.
Flexibility
I need flexibility for my pet.
They have a pet that suffers from anxiety. Pet-sitting costs are very high in the city they live in. Working from home meant they could spend more time with their pet.
I need flexibility for my family
They take care of a family member with an illness. Working from home allows them to be there for their family member.
My sleep schedule makes it difficult to work a full day without a nap
They get tired often in the middle of the day, and would like to nap during lunch time in order to have energy for the rest of the day. Working from home allows them to do that comfortably.
I want to work from other countries, or other locations
They value being able to travel while working, and spending time with their family.
Getting there
The commute is too long
They live 2 hours away from their office by public transport. A daily trip to the office takes 4 hours of their day. Some portion of that time could be spent working on the way, but it depends on the seat they're able to get.
I can't afford the commute
Their commute is expensive. Going everyday costs a lot of money. One of the reasons their commute is expensive is because the location where the office is has a very high cost for rent and house prices, so they moved to a cheaper area.
The commute is dangerous
Their route to the office involves going through some dangerous areas. They prefer to work at home to avoid going through the dangerous areas as much as possible.
Collaboration
I want to work closer with my colleagues
They feel that the easiest way to work with their colleagues is when they're in person.
My team is not located in the same place as me
They have an office in their city, but their team is located in a different country. Working at the office does not provide direct interaction value with their colleagues.
I have fear of missing out (FOMO) when I'm not in the office
They feel like that when they don't go to the office, they miss out on fun or exciting things. They attend the office more than they would otherwise, in fear of missing out.
Equipment
I don't have the set up I need at home
They don't have a desk, or a good chair at home. Working is uncomfortable for them without it.
I don't have a fixed desk at the office
Their office has a clean desk policy, meaning they do not have any permanent desk and have to set up a desk every time they go to the office.
I don't have the set up I need at the office
Their office chairs and desks are not comfy for long periods. They are physically uncomfortable at the office as a result.
I don't have the equipment I need at home
Their work requires them to test on multiple devices. The office has a test lab containing a wide range of these devices which they otherwise would not have access to.
There aren't enough meeting rooms at the office
They often have digital meetings but the office does not have enough free rooms in order for everyone to have their meetings at the same time. Working from home enables them to not worry about finding meeting rooms.
The video conference technology is not good enough at the office
The screen, camera, and microphone in their meeting rooms have quality and reliability problems. They find it easier to call in from their laptop.
My internet connection isn't stable or fast enough at home
Their office has more reliable internet than they have at home, making it easier to have digital meetings from the office.
Career growth
I'm worried about colleagues who go to the office being promoted over me
They feel that colleagues who go to the office are more visible to the company, and end up preferred for promotion.
I want to be around my more experienced colleagues
They feel the most effective way to learn from their colleagues is to be around them in person more often.
I'm worried that if I don't go to the office my manager won't be aware of what I've been doing
They feel that their manager was not aware of what tasks they were doing if they were not at the office.
My company requires me to go to the office
Their company has told them they must go to the office or their contract is considered invalid.
My manager goes to the office so I feel like I must too
Their direct boss goes to the office every day. They feel the pressure to also go to the office, and not leave until their boss leaves even if their work is already done.
Personal health
Going to the office helps me keep a work-life balance
They feel that at home it was easier for both work to go on longer than at the office, and for work to be interrupted by daily life. The office allows them to detach from thinking about daily life while there, and to have a clear time to stop thinking about work.
My disability makes working in the office difficult
They have a disability that made logistics difficult, and the office does not cater for their needs. Therefore their custom set up at home is less disruptive for them.
I don't want to be treated differently because of my disability
They have a disability that requires some accommodation in terms of desk setup, but want to work as the rest of their colleagues do in the office, and not home alone.
I have personal conflicts with colleagues
They had some non-work related disagreements with their colleagues, and it has made the atmosphere tense and uncomfortable.
I don't work regular hours
They are most productive during unusual hours, and unproductive during typical workday hours. Working from home allows them to be flexible with their day, so they can work when they're most productive.
I think the most important takeaway anyone could take from this is that preferences for where people work is individualistic. A team-wide rule might make sense if the team is in agreement in what they need. If they are not in agreement, then it will likely lead to people wanting to leave, not join, or change team. Talk to your colleagues before putting down a rule that may harm the team or the individuals in the team.
Last updated: 06/07/2024