5 reasons why working from the office could help to breed collaboration and innovation!

We all know the feeling. It’s Monday morning; the alarm has gone off... again and your mind fills with dreams of working from home. Gone is the hour-long commute, face resting in the armpit of another unlucky soul dragged to the office, for yet another week of the same dreary meetings and 9-5. And you think to yourself that remote working can only be a good thing. Can’t it? There has been much debate since the pandemic between working from home and working in the office and in this article, we will delve into five reasons that working from home might not be all it is cracked up to be.

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‍Enhanced Collaboration

Team collaboration is a vital part of any growing businesses success and whilst it is very much possible in the modern landscape to collaborate remotely with the advent of  remote working software, these more structured interactions are often time limited and don’t allow for spontaneity and impromptu meetings, which often lead to more effective brainstorming sessions, when colleagues are feeling inspired rather than at set times.

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Improved communication

Most experts would argue that between 70-93% of communication is non-verbal, and one of the drawbacks of W-F-H is that with so much communication taking place through messaging apps and email, there is a higher chance that miscommunication can occur. These miscommunications can then potentially take longer to resolve, leading to productivity disruption, whereas face to face communication leads to quick resolution and clearer communication in the first instance.

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Building stronger relationships

Team bonding and socialisation in the workplace should not be underestimated. Casual conversations through shared lunches and general workplace interactions can foster strong working relationships as well as camaraderie between the workforce. This can be hard to replicate when W-F-H as interaction is limited.

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Structured work environment

Working from the office can be beneficial to employees and employers alike when considering structure throughout the day. It can be easy to blur the lines between work and home when it all happens in the same place, and this can make it difficult to switch off and maintain a good work-life balance. Separating the home and workplace can lead to better focus and productivity during work hours, whilst allowing time to recharge.

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Fostering innovation

Collaboration within the office can flow more organically when working from the office. When team members are working alongside each other, ideas can be shared easily and feedback can be prompt, allowing team members to stay within the idea and grow it. This environment nurtures continued creativity and can drive innovation to find solutions and pathways in a way that W-F-H cannot replicate easily.

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Conclusion

While working from home does have it’s benefits, it is arguably more beneficial for both company and team members to work from the office, when considering collaboration, communication and drawing a line between work and home and in an ever changing business landscape since the pandemic, working from the office can now be more flexible than ever, providing options for a healthy, productive workplace for all.

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