Going back to the office? (Why it may be good for you)

Remember how it was when lockdowns began and you had to work from home?  It was a challenge in the beginning.  Then it became a godsend since the benefits in terms of time and transportation were immense.  A few months later, the arrangement stressed you out.  At the office, work stopped the moment you stepped out.  But working remotely meant blurred lines between home and your job.  

Two years into this arrangement, which would you rather have?

With vaccines and boosters available to a wider demographic, many establishments are requiring workers to return.  Many are still on the fence.  People have expressed that they’ve been more productive (and cost-effective) at work.  The biggest bonus was being able to take care of their loved ones and dependents.  The personal drawbacks such as the lack of a work-life balance, or the stress of meeting higher quotas, pale in comparison to these benefits.

If your organization isn’t offering a work from home option and you are now dreading “back to normal”, it might help to be reminded how an in-person, face-to-face setup can benefit you:

COMPANY CULTURE

While a lot of companies are hiring with the remote work (or hybrid) option, a workplace’s culture is best introduced and understood when we see and watch people interact.  Onboarding via video conferences can be quite a challenge for new hires.  If new employees or members aren’t able to watch what others are doing and if others can’t see what you’re actually struggling with, then every little thing has to be taught openly.   Some things can’t be taught through company training.

If you’ve been an employee for quite some time, spending time with your colleagues will benefit you and the company.  Physical presence ensures that your company’s mission and vision are alive.  Frequent engagement and interaction allow workers to stay aligned with core values.   This is because people learn both from conversations and observations.

TEAMWORK and PARTNERSHIP

Institutional knowledge gets passed around more through informal conversation than formal orientation and training.   That short chat during coffee breaks, group runs, or Thursday huddles can be filled with much-needed information.

On the other hand, remote work requires a “scheduled” meeting or interaction.  It’s not as chill or as natural.  The conscious, extra effort to ask a quick (or even sensitive) question can put some people off.  When people work together, even informally, they are likely to ask crucial questions and share information.

SHARED PURPOSE and DRIVE

This might sound like such an obvious benefit.  But apart from reinforcing a common purpose, being together bolsters “wanting” the same good things.  Sure, there’s a mission and vision you’ve committed to memory, but when you observe the actions of other people, you tend to adopt the same goals.  It may be professional and personal.  Think about it.  When someone is aiming to exceed their quota, you tend to aim for the same.  When a colleague aims to build their own home, you are also inclined to have a similar personal objective.  

It’s contagious.  When people feel connected to their purpose in their organization, it improves job satisfaction. When effort is made to reach both a personal or professional goal, and when that objective is accomplished, you feel that your job is a calling – and not just a way to put food on the table.

Working with colleagues and spending time with them offline benefits both the individual and the organization.  Sure, it may mean less time with loved ones.  It can also mean a return to the long commute.  But the collaboration may be worth it.  Strong working relationships increase job satisfaction and lower frustration by making it easier for co-workers to seek help. When that happens, work-life balance isn’t such an impossibility after all.

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NEARSOL is a US-based BPO and service company that offers clients custom-design solutions. It began operations in 2006 and has since gained a strong presence in the Latin American regions, the Caribbean, and the Asia Pacific, winning numerous awards for quality and service along the way. Most recent of which is its Great Place to Work-Certified™ Recognition.

The Great Place to Work-Certified™ Recognition is a global accreditation that tells stakeholders what employees think of the company culture.  In brief, it says a lot about the happiness and productivity index in NEARSOL.  Certification means people are happy working here and that leadership trust is palpable and real.

Come and discover why our employees think we’re a great place to work!

Visit NEARSOL.US and apply through NIA, NEARSOL’s recruitment chatbot and personalized platform for the application process.

Visit our LinkedIn to learn more about our company and our global footprint. /PN