Work From Home Vs Office Work: The Great Debate!

I'm a bit torn between which is better, work from home or office work but I tend to lean further on the side of work from home or hybrid is better overall if properly implemented. Also, I'm not a work from home or office expert, these are my opinions based on living it and hearing thoughts of other peoples take on WFH vs working at the office.

Work from home pros & cons

Pros:

1. No commute which saves you gas and avoids run ins of frequent road rage. You actually work a full 8 hour day instead of an 11-12 hour work day after factoring in your commute and lunch.
2. You're in the comfort of your own home, so you don't have to spend time getting ready.
3. If you're sick, chances are you'll still be able to work, be productive and avoid getting others sick.
4. I hear many employees say they are less stressed, more productive, happier and more loyal to their companies who offer work from home.
5. Flexibility to work from anywhere you choose. 
6. Freedom to walk out the door to workout on breaks and use your own shower. No more gym locker room showers 😄

Cons:

1. Over time can make you feel like a man or woman on an island. 
2. If going to an office is the main place you're use to interacting with fellow humans, work from home can start to feel lonely and effect your mental health (coffee shops or places with Wifi to work from on certain days can help a lot)
3. If you're extroverted and enjoy being around other people, you could feel lost and unproductive.
4. If you're not careful on keeping up with your communication skills, you can easily start to feel socially awkward in times you're in group settings around other people.
5. If you don't have a set routine you stay true to, it's extremely easy to get distracted. You know like doing laundry, walking the dog, putting dishes away, make a coffee trip, making your lunch early, getting a quick 30 minute gym session in on the clock etc..

Office work pros & cons

Pros:

1. If the company work culture is productive, there's a vibe and collaboration working in the office that work from home can't emulate in my opinion.
2. Oftentimes you can get quicker answers from co-workers or managers by going directly to them in person vs waiting for an email or response back on internal chat.
3. The forced structure and routine of office life allows some people to do their best work by being able to collaborate with their team in person.

Cons:

1. Wasted time commuting and added gas costs (8hr day turns into an 11-12hr day)
2. Conversations that turn the work environment into social hour cause major distractions and loss of productivity for a lot of people.
3. You're more likely to go out to lunch with your co-workers regularly, which starts to add up. $11 meal x 5 days a week = $2,640 at the end of the year, JUST on lunch 😭
4. You have to actually get ready and put on pants... I know that's a huge bummer for many of you!

Conclusion

I don't think there's one true one size fits all model for everyone. The reality is we're all humans with different personalities and needs. Different employees want different work scenarios, so I think work from home, in office and hybrid work are all here to stay. Once companies settle on a permanent stance, employees will be able to make the right decisions and narrow their career paths based on their work preferences.