StartupTalky

Tag: work from home office

  • Is It Better to Work From Home or From an Office? | Pros and Cons of Working From Home

    The secret to being as effective at home as you are at work is to maintain your focus. There may be some technical difficulties, but these can be overcome. If you prefer to work alone, working from home may be just as productive, if not more so.

    Working from home can be a disadvantage if you need to be surrounded by others and are extroverted. It is significantly more productive to work in an office. Individuals will save money because they won’t have to pay to keep warm at home and won’t be distracted by friends and relatives. It is only useful if it is convenient for persons in specific situations, such as terrible weather. So, let’s look at some pros and cons of working from that help you better decide working from is better or from the office.

    Do We Really Need an Office in Post Covid Era?
    Statistics and Facts on Work From Home vs Work From Office
    Pros of Working From Home
    Cons of Working From Home

    Do We Really Need an Office in Post Covid Era?

    Covid-19 has transformed the entire world, revamping conventional ways of working and requiring businesses to develop more flexible/technology-based strategies in order to maintain business continuity. We wonder if we’ll be able to resume our usual life now that the instances have subsided and the people have been vaccinated.

    The bulk of those who travelled did so in search of work. However, the majority of them excelled at their responsibilities even while working from home, with the thought of returning to their offices in the back of their minds. What would the situation be like now? Do you think you’ll be back in the office in the near future? Should video conferencing continue to be used in the offices?

    The answer is entirely dependent on the industry in which you work.

    Let me give you an example: You are working from home while an Amazon delivery man is delivering your package.

    They are both working, but in distinct situations and with different requirements.

    Statistics and Facts on Work From Home vs Work From Office

    While brainstorming and reading all of the information available online, a hazy image of ‘OH YES! WORK FROM HOME’ formed in my mind.

    So, there you have it!

    According to Trak.in, 54% of Indians want permanent work from home, with 34% willing to take a pay cut to avoid going to the office.

    According to the SAP Concur Study (Bangalore), 88 percent of Indian workers prefer to work from home, and 69 percent say that working from home has boosted their productivity.

    Around 94.5 percent of Indians have accepted working from home as the new normal, according to Mint.

    66 percent of Indian employees desire to work entirely from home, according to India Times.

    74 percent of Indians want to work from home, according to CRN India.

    COVID-19 is a virus that infects people. But then According to Trak.in, 77 percent of Indian employees are fed up with working from home, and 65 percent want to go back to work.

    According to DNA, 59 percent of Indian employers are opposed to ‘work from home.

    Pros of Working From Home

    Deepening and Strengthening Relationships

    We’ve all been so preoccupied with living the “life” that we’ve forgotten about the true, genuine moments we spend with our loved ones. The pandemic crisis has now had a good impact on how you express yourself and maintain relationships.
    You may spend more time with your family and arrange your job letter. This genuinely aids in the development of a better future for both your work and your family.

    Inclusivity Has Improved

    Hiring people from various socio-economic, regional, and cultural backgrounds and perspectives can help businesses embrace diversity and inclusion. This is tough to achieve when recruiting is limited to a particular place. Things not everybody desires can afford to live close by.

    Impact on Long-Term Sustainability

    From economic growth and reduced disparities to sustainable cities, climate change, and responsible consumerism, remote employment supports a range of sustainability projects.

    Productivity and Performance Have Improved

    Working from home typically means fewer interruptions, fewer office politics, a lower level of noise, and fewer (or more efficient) meetings. When you include the lack of a commute, remote workers often have more time and fewer distractions, resulting in higher productivity—a big benefit of working from home for both employees and businesses.

    Biggest Struggles People Face While Working Remotely
    Biggest Struggles People Face While Working Remotely

    Cons of Working From Home

    Lack of Community and Collaboration

    Aristotle, the Greek philosopher, said

    “Man is by nature a social animal; an individual who is unsocial naturally and not accidentally is either beneath our notice or more than human. Society is something that precedes the individual.”

    As a result, it is clear that man cannot live or operate efficiently and successfully on his own. While some employees may be enthusiastic about the prospect of working alone, away from the distractions of the office, others may find it challenging to work long hours and cooperate with only a computer screen and no face-to-face connection with coworkers.

    Motivational Deficit

    Working in an office with coworkers who share a shared objective and purpose, or getting a pep talk from a boss, can both be excellent sources of external inspiration. Working from home, on the other hand, does not provide that kind of setting. Lack of motivation can make life tough for employees and have a negative impact on their productivity.

    Performance That Isn’t Being Tracked and Frequent Breaks

    Working alone can be a difficult task. Employees in this position are expected to keep track of their own work performance. Self-regulation is a difficult task, and employees’ judgement is required. When breaks and work go unmonitored, employees may tend to slack off and take frequent breaks, resulting in more break time and less work time. In contrast, at work, one is constantly reminded to stay on track and operate efficiently and successfully, which is not always achievable with remote employment.

    Security Issues and a Lack of Office Equipment

    Working from their own home office, which is peaceful and cosy, has been a welcome adjustment for remote employees who formerly worked in a congested office environment. But, like with everything, there are advantages and disadvantages to having a home office. Setting up a home office with a high-end laptop, high-speed internet, and other equipment, such as printers, may be quite expensive, which is not practical for everyone.

    Productivity Is at Risk

    Working from home, it is said, leads to higher productivity. Working remotely, on the other hand, can make one feel alone and unmotivated to produce results. As a result, all of the aforementioned disadvantages might lead to a decrease in productivity when working from home.

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    Conclusion

    With evil comes the good, and these are some of the predictions that I believe will hold true. After the covid age, I believe we “ALL” don’t actually need offices. Countries all across the world are still combating the virus, and we will undoubtedly triumph.

    We’re a survivor race, and we’re going to win this as well. I agree that the fight is difficult and long. But let us look ahead and focus on the brighter side, because this is all we have during these trying times.

    I’d love to hear your thoughts on this, and please share the trends you believe will develop to usher in this new world.

    Maintain a social connection while maintaining a physical distance. Please take care to keep yourself safe.

    FAQs

    Is working from home better or working from the office better?

    Working from home has its own advantages, as the commute time is reduced, employees have better flexibility but it is very easy to get distracted while working from home.

    Why is it better to work in the office than at home?

    Easier to build relationships, stress is reduced, better work-life balance is some of the advantages of working from the office.

  • The Complete Office Setup Guide for Entrepreneurs

    “Don’t be afraid of the space between your dreams and reality. If you can dream it, you can make it so.” – Belva Davis.

    The words above laconically describe an entrepreneur’s ethos, entrepreneurship is all about turning even the most paradoxical dreams or ideas into practicality. But the space between these two things might appear to be infinite if you don’t step on the right road from the start. And if you do all of it right, voila you have a startup. Congratulations! But the work doesn’t end here, the road ahead has a lot of steps and the first one is to set up the right office.

    Startups usually begin with a small team so you don’t need to have a huge space, just a well-constructed area in an apt location would do. Let’s dig into some must-haves in a new working space. Let us see the complete report on the ultimate office setup guide for entrepreneurs.

    Who Is An Entrepreneur?
    The Structure Matters
    What All You Might Need?
    Let The Office Speak
    FAQ’s

    Who Is An Entrepreneur?

    Before moving on, let’s try to understand what is entrepreneurship? Who is an entrepreneur? How to become an entrepreneur?

    According to the Entrepreneur website, an entrepreneur is-

    Someone that creates something new, either an initiative, a business or a company. He or she is the beginning (and sometimes the end) of a venture, project or activity.

    The entrepreneur might not be the ideator, but he or she is definitely the one that decides to make that idea a reality. An entrepreneur is a driver, a starter is accountable and responsible.

    The video below clearly explains all these questions in brief. Have a look into it to understand entrepreneurs better.

    The Structure Matters

    Cool, open office spaces are now the new trend, the layout isn’t considered of that much importance. But, the fact of the matter is that structure matters a lot. The structure is the first and the foremost point which should be in the checklist of the ultimate office setup guide for entrepreneurs. You need to divide the space diligently. You got to maximize the utility even after realizing the limitations of space, budget or maintenance.

    Open space doesn’t mean interference. Every employee should get a proper working area where they can isolate themselves and think. Remember, the environment influences the quality of the work.

    Office Setup for Entrepreneurs
    Office Setup for Entrepreneurs

    You got to fade away noise. Whether it’s from your own office, or from somewhere around you. Lay carpets to dampen the excess noise. Use curtains, if you have employees who constantly need to be on the phone with the clients or give them a separate space.

    Proper partition of space is super crucial. You need a formal meeting room, you need a brainstorming area, you need an informal briefing area, the paperwork room, you need cabins for the founders, a small kitchen, washrooms and what not. You see, a small office has a million smaller rooms. If you don’t manage the space cautiously chaos is bound to be your first client.

    What All You Might Need?

    1) Reception Area

    The most important thing if you’re setting up an office as an entrepreneur is a welcome space i.e. The Reception Area. This is the first impression of your company, this sets the theme in your client’s mind, in your employees’ mind. You don’t need to overdo it, just add a fascinating backdrop, a classy desk, some pictures, figures on display, and your company’s name in a stylish, unique manner that stays in the client’s mind for long.

    2) Work Desks

    Rows of individual cubicles with desks and chairs, don’t make their hellholes. Choose the ones, which feel more open and connected to the whole space but also give you the room to function. Place ergonomic chairs and tables so that they will be comfortable while working for long hours.

    3) Board Meeting/Client Meeting Room

    This space where you’ll talk to your prospective clients, this is where you lay down the work, where you persuade them to go with your ideas. The room should be professional, of course, but should it be nerve whacking? No. Make the room formal but don’t lose touch. Make it comfortable. Add a plant or two in the corners. Let it have glass partitions. Remember you need a projector, a great conference table and comfortable chairs.

    4) Brainstorming Zone

    This might just be the most important space. Startups are made up of ideas. They feed on ideas, nurtures ideas, if not ideas then why even call it a startup? The brainstorming area is where dreams are born, this is where plans are made, this is where the foundation of the building called success begins. This is the place where your journey of becoming a successful entrepreneur begins in the first place. You need to focus on the energy in the room, it should be motivating, it should spark something. Add up a bookshelf, fill it up with amazing books relevant to inspirational content. Put up posters, which contain a spirit that resonates. Set the room up with whiteboards, beanbags, a small swing maybe.

    Benefits for a Coworking Space
    With the state of the world at the moment, most companies are opting for acoworking space instead of having a building all to themselves. This saves themon the rent and utilities plus it’s fun to work with different companies in thesame space! A coworking space is a space shared by more than one …
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    5) Briefing Area

    This is the zone where communication happens. This might be the space where you design the outline for the day, set the targets, assign jobs or just talk. Talk about progress, loopholes, improvements anything at all. Space should be comforting and informal so that the employee feels free of any barriers to expression. Just add a few chairs arranged in a circle or something with a table in the middle for paperwork and you’re good to go.

    6) Kitchen and Coffee Area

    Startups usually don’t stick to the 9 to 5 regime. They have flexible working hours with some going on even the night. You need to fuel your employees so that they can deliver. Make a small kitchen with an induction stove, coffee maker, snacks, 2 minute noodles, energy bars. Keep a small fridge for some fruits or something. Keep it stocked. Let your employees contribute to the fridge.

    7) Play Area

    As much as it is about work, startups are also funky and friendly. Design a small relaxing area, where there’s music, a small tv, a foosball table, UNO, Jenga. If you have the budget, make the office pet-friendly, dogs are the best stress-busters, maybe all that the mind-blocked employees need is an escape for a while to make the productivity race. This will improve the overall vibe of the office, give it a playful impact.

    Let The Office Speak

    The company vision should echo in the space, the employees should feel the work that does, and the environment gives them that vibe.

    Casual is the key, but remember your office nurtures your work. The office should resonate with the motivation behind your startup. It should be a little version of the big mountain, that’s your inspiration. Put up motivational stickers, posters, add up the flavor with your company name. Anything that adds a personal touch. Keeping it bare would make it dull faster than quicksand.

    Organize team-building events, fun activities, co-curricular activities, surprise them with gifts that will allow your team members to interact with each other and will also keep them off from their work for a while.  

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    When you have a small space, it’s very easy to make it monotonous, because why take the effort. But, a few months into the work and the monotonicity will start suffocating. So, it’s better if you make every room different. For example, add colours. Choose the brighter ones for the brainstorming area, obviously the decent ones for your cliental meeting zone. Add wall decor, wall art to make it more classy. Green adds life to space, so remember to have indoor plants.

    Your office should be a combination of industrial and cozy. The office environment should allow people to socialize and communicate with each other, interact with their fellow colleagues to be more efficient and comfortable at their work. Falter here, and all you get is a boring space. Startups create magic, so let be unique, let it be flawed, what matters the most is that it should be personalized.

    FAQ’s

    Who is an Entrepreneur?

    The entrepreneur might not be the ideator, but he or she is definitely the one that decides to make that idea a reality. An entrepreneur is a driver, a starter is accountable and responsible.

    Where do entrepreneurs work?

    The workplace of an entrepreneur will be office-based, but it can vary.

    How big is the workplace for entrepreneurs?

    The size of the workplace will depend on the size of the venture and may start at home or in a small office and grow to a large corporation.

    What is the work environment of an entrepreneur?

    An entrepreneurial work environment is one in which people are not afraid to take calculated risks, and in which they can embrace the idea of learning something valuable from a failure.

    How many hours does an entrepreneur work?

    Lots of entrepreneurs work 60 to 80 hours a week.

    Why are coworking facilities attractive to entrepreneurs?

    Coworking can greatly ease the path to starting a new business and also provide flexibility when your business is growing. You can add team members at any time without the costs and commitment of commercial lease space.

    Feel free to reach us and share your feedback. We would love to hear from you. Do comment us in the comments section below. Happy Reading.