Figure 1: Work from Home (Smith, 2022).

Impact on employees during COVID 19, concept of working from home

The rapid global spread of a new coronavirus infection (the COVID-19 virus) has led to a major global economic disaster. Governments imposed a complete state of lockdown, forbidding all non-essential travel and ordering all non-essential companies to close. The government's strict control measures led to many difficult working conditions. Significant challenges were presented to traditional working practices. The COVID-19 economic impact was equivalent to that of the 2008 financial crisis, but its long-term effects were more serious. The impact on business performance is particularly pronounced in areas and sectors that have been considerably touched, such as education and healthcare. Companies must quickly adjust to a temporary COVID-19 approach. Many businesses have embraced flexible work arrangements, such as working from home, to stop the spread of disease and financial losses. During the COVID-19 crisis, the majority of people had already embraced online shopping, work-from-home (WFH), and digital businesses. Due to the crisis, work patterns changed, and the WFH model soon gained popularity (Frontires in Psychology, 2023).

Despite the fact that this idea was widely used during the COVID-19 outbreak, it is clear that organizations have been more likely to use it in the face of the present financial crisis. Due to the high expense of providing transportation for employees in the face of the present economic crisis, it is advantageous for businesses to provide employees who can work from home the chance to do so. It is also a fantastic chance for the worker to keep a healthy balance between work and life. The proliferation of Wi-Fi and cloud-based software has increased the accessibility of "working from home" for practically everyone who is not engaged in hard labor. However, this strategy has a number of disadvantages too in addition to its advantages. 

Now lets have a quick look of advantages and the disadvanges.

Advantages 

Figure 2 : Advantages of working from home (MBA Skool Team, 2022).

Flexibility and agility - You have more flexibility and agility in your work schedule when you work from home. If workers are no longer bound to an office, they may be more equipped and more willing to work a variety of shifts, including those that start earlier or later in the day or even on the weekends. 

Improved employee retention - Working from home gives employees more flexibility to meet childcare responsibilities, cut down on commute time, and fit work around their personal lives, which can help employers retain personnel. Employee loyalty may grow if employers give them the option to work from home since it boosts their trust in them.

Attract new talent - Working from home might be promoted as an incentive to join your firm, helping you to draw in new talent. You may get a competitive advantage over rivals who do not permit workers to work from home by simply permitting them to do so. 

Increased productivity - Working from home, however, offers a more relaxed environment that enables more focused work since there are fewer interruptions than there would be at an office. Due to the time saved in the commute to and from work, you may also find that some employees wish to extend their contractually guaranteed pay hours. 

Increased staff motivation - Because the working relationship is less closely scrutinized and employees are given more freedom to complete their responsibilities, employees who work from home will feel more trusted by their employer. In addition to being happier, employees will be more motivated to perform at the highest level if they can develop a homeworking schedule that suits them. 

Financially Beneficial - Going into faraway work might be financially lucrative from a business aspect. Your company will no longer have to pay for office space or electricity, allowing you to focus on more responsibilities that are important. Employees now have control over their own workspace. Working from home saves money for the company, but it also saves money for employees by eliminating travel time and expenditures. 

Better work/life balance - Working from home may help employees achieve a better work-life balance. For example, individuals who would have had to commute can now utilize that time for themselves, resulting in a better work-life balance. Staff can also integrate domestic duties into their workday to provide them more free time in the evenings, such as loading or unloading the dishwasher or cooking supper during their lunch break.

Disadvantages 

Figure 3: Disadvantages of working from home (Click Time, 2020).

Staff feeling isolated - Individuals working from home may experience the natural detachment from their coworkers and the company as a whole that an office atmosphere provides. Employers might solve this issue by ensuring that communication is more consistent. Staff is given an additional opportunity to feel active and part of the team by organizing brief catch-ups over the phone or regular team meetings using other technologies such as Skype. More informal and sociable get-togethers might also assist to alleviate any feelings of loneliness.

Working from home does not suit everyone - Working from home is not for everyone's personality or skill set. Some employees may appreciate the regularity and structure that comes with working in an office setting. Some employees prefer face-to-face engagement with coworkers and believe that face-to-face coaching from their boss is incredibly valuable in assisting them in completing duties and achieving their objectives. You must also consider personnel with disabilities. Working from home may have an adverse effect on the assistance they require to do their duties. Working from home may not be suitable for everyone's lifestyle, for example, some people may have small children who are oblivious to limits and cause disruptions during the working day.

Difficulty monitoring performance - It may be challenging to manage and oversee the performance of home employees. Different personalities may react to monitoring in a positive or negative way. You can consider defining measurable objectives and targets for your employees so that if they do not meet them, you can spot and address any performance concerns early on.

Home distractions - Although working from home eliminates workplace distractions, if a worker does not have a sufficiently quiet dedicated working area at home, domestic noises or other members of their household may easily distract them (Nibusinessinfo.co.uk, 2023).

Conclusion

A wider range of options is now available for how firms may operate and be organized thanks to home working. Employers and employees gained practical knowledge about working from home during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic outbreak in March 2020, which forced businesses to close in response to the government's demands to safeguard the public's health. Working from home was becoming more popular before the coronavirus epidemic as more businesses realized the advantages it may have for their companies and the better work-life balance it can provide for their workers.

References :

Click Time, (2020) Top 10 Disadvantages of working from home [Online]
Available at: https://www.clicktime.com/blog/top-10-advantages-disadvantages-working-from-home
[Accessed 22 April 2023].

Frontires in Psychology (2023) Frontires in Psychology: Influence of Working From Home During the COVID-19 Crisis and HR Practitioner Response [Online]
Available at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.710517/full
[Accessed 20 April 2023].

MBA Skool Team (2022) WFH: Advantages of Work from Home [Online]
Available at: https://www.mbaskool.com/business-concepts/human-resources-hr-terms/16870-work-from-home.html
[Accessed 22 April 2023].

Nibusinessinfo.co.uk, (2023) Employees working from home: Home distractions [Online]
Available at: https://www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/content/advantages-and-disadvantages-employees-working-home
[Accessed 20 April 2023].

Smith, M., (2022) Make It: 15 companies that will let you work from home and are hiring now—some roles pay over $100K [Online]
Available at: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/08/15-companies-that-will-let-you-work-from-home-and-are-hiring-now.html
[Accessed 22 April 2023].

By S. Satheesh