There are many companies with cool interior designs that would blow your mind and imagination. Swings, beds, fire poles, slides, unique tables shapes, golf putting greens, I mean you name it. These places are very playful, colorful, creative, and I believe all these designs must have been, most definitely, inspired by children’s drawings.

Although as much as impressive and fun they are, many resources also reveal how distracting and inefficient they could be.  And that doesn’t apply only to these extravagant places (that was just fun talking about it).  How many times have you wished to have a magical remote control that you could put the whole office on mute and get a lot of work done?

Let’s talk in summary about some main advantages of working from home or the office to find out who might be the winner. Since most of the population punches a clock in the office, I would like to start there. 

OFFICE SPACE

Employees’ Point of View

1. Pre-set office schedule might help you with the time management 
2. Personal interaction with your colleagues and clients – Building and
3. Maintaining professional relationships - Being more socially involved and connected
4. Instant HR and IT help
5. No cost with your office settings and supplies
6. You can be purely focused on your work / No home distractions

Employers’ Point of View

1. “Easier” productivity monitoring and control
2. Clear Payroll Logistics and Compensations
3. Tighter confidentiality and security
4. Employees and Clients connectivity, loyalty, and professionalism 

HOME OFFICE

Employees’ Point of View

1. Flexible hours / Working at your most productive time
2. Noise control and no office distractions
3. No commute - huge morale booster and time/cost saver 
4. Less stress
5. Better work/life/health balance = happiness

Employers’ Point of View

1. More hiring options / Top talent with no local geographic limits – Different markets open up the windows to endless opportunities / Grateful and dedicated employees (staying at home parents, students, retirees, etc.)
2. Presence vs. Office sick days and other absence
3. Cost

It is very individual and in most cases indecisive, which option would be the most fitting. You must have a suitable personality for working at home or the office.

These three main criteria might help you to decide if you are a great candidate for working remotely:

• You require a minimal amount of supervision and you are highly self-motivated
• You are able to set up separate office space in your house
• You don’t need to be physically present to communicate with your clients/colleagues

Employers cannot be making any differences between employees and their workplace preferences; therefore, these policies in today’s legal working environment are one of the main reasons why many companies are not too eager to support home offices. 

But there is always a third option – Compromise  – working partially from the office and from home.  

What are your choice and personal experience?