You’re probably already familiar with two of the three types of work models which are in-office and remote work. The third type is the hybrid work model.
Curious about the differences between these 3? Let’s delve into it and find out which setup works best for you!
In-office Work
As the term implies, it is when you go to your office to work.
Pre-pandemic, in-office work is the most common type of work model applied by businesses around the world, given that most companies have a space of their own.
This setup benefits both the employee and employer. Your supervisor can easily oversee your work and performance when you are in the office.
Meanwhile, as an employee, you could directly approach your colleagues and your supervisor for urgent matters. Reducing your waiting time for an email reply to complete a task.
If you’re the sociable type of colleague, then the in-office work set-up would be great for you. There are a lot of common areas in the office environment where you and your colleagues could gather and catch up. It would also be easier for you to have lunch-outs and after-work dinners since you’re all already present in one place.
Although working in the office comes with these benefits, it also has disadvantages.
Commuting may be an issue especially if you do not have your own means of transportation—be it a car, bike, or motorcycle.
Additionally, if your house is far from your office, you may have to get up extra early to prepare.
Lastly, the time it takes for you to travel to and from your workplace is something you cannot get back, especially if this entails spending unnecessary hours on the road.
Remote work
Remote work is often mistaken as the work-from-home (WFH) setup.
WFH is a way to apply the remote work model, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to work at home. It means that you are reporting to work even though you are not at the office.
Reporting to work through the means of email, chat, or video calls while being at home or at a coffee shop is considered remote work.
If you’re someone who enjoys doing work within your comfort zone or in different environments, remote work is the set-up for you. You can choose to either stay at home or visit a café of your choice during your working hours.
This work model is also a good choice for those who travel a lot but still want to have that hustle on the side!
If you are a parent, the WFH set-up can be ideal for you. Especially if your kids are still young, you get to spend time with them while still being able to work.
Although sometimes, remote work may not be applicable for some employees as it still requires you to have your own space and equipment especially if you have frequent meetings and you don’t live alone.
You will also be considering traveling from one place to another if you choose to do your work in different places.
Remote work also benefits employers as it can reduce company costs when it comes to office spaces. The struggle that can be seen here is that they don’t have full control over their employee’s time as remote work offers flexible working hours.
However, a 2-year study with over half a million respondents conducted by Great Place to work revealed that productivity increased for most people working from home.
Hybrid Work
Photo from viewsonic
Since the COVID-19 Pandemic broke out in 2020, both work from home and hybrid work became common terms used in the business environment.
Several companies started to apply these models in their workplaces to aid the need for the safety of their employees.
A study by Accenture in May 2021 indicated that 83% of people see hybrid work as the future of work.
The hybrid model enables employees to work in both the office and at home (or in any place).
An advantage of this model is that you have a choice of whether you want to work in the office or not. This gives you an opportunity to be in different environments especially if you’re someone who either easily gets bored of routines or needs to be away from your home environment in order to focus and be more productive.
There are still downsides to this especially if your company isn’t a hundred percent prepared to implement this model. It was also reported in a recent study by Tinypulse that 72% of the 100 global workers surveyed are exhausted from the hybrid setup.
This exhaustion might include the struggles of going back and forth in the office and at home or simply having to book and reserve a slot at your office if you are given the option to choose x number of days in the week.
Furthermore, having to bring your stuff from one place to another, presents you with the risk of forgetting to bring something (e.g. your laptop charger!).
Some people are not fans of going out and staying in the next day. This affects their performance, as well as, their well-being at work.
Conclusion
The environment you want to be in when working is a vital part of your productivity.
Knowing these work models along with their advantages and disadvantages could help you in choosing your next job. Being able to be in a set-up that works best for you will allow you to be not only productive and efficient at work but also keep you mentally healthy.
If you’re someone who leads a team, you can ask your team if they prefer a specific set-up for work. It might just increase your team’s productivity and work efficiency.
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