Remote work versus co-located work - what is better?

Disclaimer: This DevLog is intended to help anyone, who is in a similar situation we are in at the moment. Everyone has to make their own decisions. This merely is our own honest view and opinion, based on our experience. We would love to hear from you, what you think about it all. We wish you all the success and fun you deserve with the development and release of your game! eXplore Studio

Have you ever worked in a company that was struggling to find the right balance between home office and working on site? The topic is not trivial, and of course in some jobs one cannot work remotely, you simply have to be on site or with customers or suppliers etc. But an increasing number of employees can do at least some of their work remotely, for example from home. Before we jump to conclusions, let’s look at the advantages of each to make up our mind.

First, working remotely, from home or any other suitable place: It is more flexible for everyone. All team members can plan their work around their personal commitments and preferences, choosing the best times of the day when they are most productive. Everyone can also work in their personalised home office that best suits their individual preferences and needs, or wherever they choose to work from at a given point in time. In addition to that, there is no daily commute to the workplace and back, leading to significant time and cost savings for each individual and the company. This also means that people could be available to work at times, when they would usually be on their way to or from work. Another advantage is that certain types of work requiring a lot of focus and concentration may be easier accomplished where one is not continuously disturbed by the office background noise, or colleagues interrupting us when we are just following a train of thought. This may lead to higher levels of productivity. All of the above also greatly enhances the work-life balance of each team member and reduces individual stress levels. However, working remotely can also be lonely, since there may be fewer social interactions with other team members. Especially, if someone is in general isolated at home, seeing colleagues at work might just be better for the social balance. Sometimes, it can be easy for the personal life and work to blend together. Therefore, setting boundaries or adhering to a self-imposed schedule may be crucial. Furthermore, in some areas of the world, electricity and internet connectivity at high speed may not always be guaranteed, particularly when working from home. Finally, there may be a lack of supervision in the sense that neither colleagues nor managers may be able to easily check in on each team member to make sure they are well and safe, they do not need support or help, or more guidance in certain areas.

Second, let’s look at working on site, co-located with all other team members: It can be argued that for certain collaborative, creative or innovative work, being co-located on site may be much more effective. Also, the enhanced collaboration, or even just being able to meet other colleagues for a chat can foster a feeling of belonging and may help building a shared culture. Teamwork is often easier to achieve, when everyone is physically present. However, as previously mentioned, the daily commuting time may be time-consuming and stressful, there may be many distractions in the office, especially in open office layouts, and the schedule will be limited to certain hours of each day, limiting flexibility.

So, what is the right answer then? Well, it depends! Experiences and preferences vary, and what works well for one person may not suit another. Finding a balance between the pros and cons is essential. The choice really depends on individual preferences of the team members,  the type of work they have to perform, and the organization’s needs and constraints.

After all, decisions on remote work versus coming to the office is a lot about trust and feeling trusted, and about being and feeling empowered. These decisions are about finding the best compromise that works best for the teams concerned in the context they have to work in, as well as for each individual in that team, given their personal circumstances and preferences. Therefore, it is perhaps a good idea to leave such decisions to each team and the individual team members. Forcing entire organisations to do one or the other might just have devastating effects on the perceived trust and empowerment, leading to disengagement of a significant part of the workforce and ultimately higher numbers of people leaving the organisation.