Are You Ready to Give Up the Office?

For most of us, trading in the office for a five-step commute is a no-brainer. However, despite the clear benefits of working from home — especially for employees with disabilities or those with caregiving responsibilities — ditching in-person work completely won’t be the right choice for everyone.

For workers keen on a blend of solitary and collaborative working, hybrid models can offer the best of both worlds. Unless you’re making a proactive effort to leave the house and pursue co-working opportunities, working remotely can be isolating. In fact, research shows that remote workers are twice as likely to feel lonely at work compared to office workers, and even more in comparison with hybrid employees.

What’s more, a recent survey shows that remote work may not be the burnout panacea we once thought. According to Gallup, 24% of remote workers report feeling burned out most of the time, compared to 27% of their hybrid and fully on-site counterparts. While this percentage is slightly smaller for home-workers, these findings suggest that a company’s working arrangement isn’t the only factor that impacts wellbeing, with their organizational culture also being a huge contributor.

Ultimately, the conversation about where we work is an important one. But with fully remote, hybrid, and in-office models all providing workers with unique sets of benefits and challenges, it’s important to consider your own unique working style before shutting down any option completely.