The COVID-19 pandemic did what many corporate bureaucracies struggle to do: overhaul work culture overnight.

  • June 24 marks National Work From Home Day, according to National Today.

It’s the holiday we didn’t know about two years ago but have now lived every day for over a year. So, the real question, is this a happy or unhappy holiday?

Do people like working from home?

Overwhelmingly, yes, according to a recent survey from Harvard Business School. The survey found that the majority of employees not only enjoy working from home but would like to continue doing so post-pandemic.

  • 81% of respondents said they don’t want to return to the office full time.
  • Of these, 27% said they would prefer full-time remote work, reports Harvard Business School Online.
  • The other 61% said they would prefer a hybrid approach that allows them to work from home for two to three days a week, says USA Today.

Actually, a Stanford study found that employee productivity increased by 13% while working from home.

So, we’re asking the wrong question.

Better question, why do people like working from home?

Everyone may have a different favorite part about remote work, but here’s a few common highlights:

  1. The only traffic jams you have to worry about are the bathroom and the hallway. Working from home means no commuting which, on average, saves employees eight and a half hours a week, or 408 hours a year, reports Apollo Technical.
  2. Bathroom breaks whenever. Working from home allows employees to take the breaks they need and gives them the opportunity for more meaningful breaks, says The Muse. Maybe that’s a short musical jam session or time with a pet, both highly inconvenient in an office.
  3. You choose your office. Closet? Back patio? Library? Camper van with phone data? Remote employees get more flexibility to work where it works for them, reports The Muse.
  4. Life maintenance tasks have a new flexibility, says The Muse. Grocery shopping midday, receiving a package early-afternoon, or even doing laundry during the day all becomes easier while working from home.
  5. Pets and pets on zoom. That’s all.
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But working from home has its challenges ...

Of course, working remotely has its drawbacks. Zoom fatigue can wear on employees, reports USA Today. Mental health can decline due to the lack of socialization or the lack of work satisfaction.

  • Keeping a regular routine and maintaining boundaries between work space and living space can help workers cope with these common challenges, reports National Today.
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