6 reasons why working from home is not feasible in the long run

The coronavirus pandemic has forced many of us to work from home. Some companies are now considering making this new normal a standard practice even after the covid-19 situation gets resolved.

Working from home isn’t something new. For years, it has been an optional choice in most organisations, where employees can opt for it whenever they needed to. However, currently, the practice has become more of a compulsion.

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Although, there are some obvious benefits of working from home, like more flexibility the disadvantages of this practice, in the long run, might overpower the benefits. Let’s look at some of the reasons why we think working from home won’t be feasible in the long run:

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Loneliness and Isolation

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In a report by Buffer, they found out that 19% of employees who worked from home felt lonely. Socialisation has always helped us break away from the usual monotony of our workload.

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Even a mere walk with a colleague can act as a distraction and relieve your mind from stress. Not just destressing, these interactions also help foster creativity in employees.

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All of this isn’t possible over a zoom call and afterall nothing can replace face-to-face interaction.

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Negative effects on mental health

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The impact of the pandemic on our social life is causing a lot of stress, anxiety and channeling feelings of loneliness.

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As per a recent survey, conducted on the impact of work-from-home on employees during the lockdown, it was found that the majority of the respondents feel that work has become more “stressful and lethargic” as compared to working from the office.

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With the extended working hours, increased workload and lack of work-life balance the overall mental wellbeing has been distorted.

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Losing the company culture

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Company culture is defined as a set of values and behaviors that contribute to the unique social and psychological environment of the business. An organization’s culture is important to create loyalty and a sense of belongingness among the employees to achieve the goals together.

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The longer people are apart, the more a company culture gets diluted the more values get affected.

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Impact on productivity

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In a survey conducted by Deloitte, 25% of respondents considered themselves as less productive while working from home amid covid-19.

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Working from home is said to have provided more flexibility and cut the extensive traveling hours which earlier hampered productivity but with telephonic and zoom calls taking up a major portion of the day and the barrier between work and home not present anymore, the employees are more exhausted and drained out as a result.

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Risk of cyber attacks

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Work from home also poses a huge risk of client data getting leaked and misused. In a recent survey by CNBC, one respondent said their organisation has seen a 40% rise in phishing and other cybercrimes.

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Without the security protections that office systems provide – such as firewalls and antiviruses and our increased reliance on technology, we are far more vulnerable to cyber attacks than we might have anticipated.

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Lack of dedicated space

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Even if individuals can overcome the creative and technological challenges, there is a lack of an ideal workspace in an Indian household. Most households don’t have studies or spare rooms for long-term remote work or millennials living in paying guest-type accommodation may not have the freedom to install required infrastructure.

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A complete evaluation of the pros and cons of work from home is needed before making a decision. It would be in the best interest of all stakeholders if companies revamp their work policies instead of making work from home a compulsion.