Funny, isn’t it?
My company laptop can access company servers, company emails, company systems, and probably knows more about me than my wife does.
But somehow, they still didn’t allow me to work from home.
Maybe technology hasn’t advanced that far yet.
Or maybe I’m missing something.
Working from home has always made more sense to me.
For starters, there is the commute.
Many people spend up to three hours a day travelling to and from work.
That’s about 60 hours a month.
Sixty hours.
I could write several articles, finish a book chapter, learn a new skill, or sit beside my small pool pretending to be productive while staring at the reflective pool surface.
Then there are office distractions.
You walk to the pantry and bump into a colleague.
Five minutes later, you’re discussing football, office politics, inflation, and whether durian should be allowed in the office.
None of which appears in your job description.
Working from home eliminates much of that.
You can focus when you need to focus.
You can work during your most productive hours.
Plus you save money on fuel, tolls, parking, lunches, and clothes that look professional but feel like punishment.
But some bosses are thinking differently.
They afraid if employees use work hours to send their kids to school.
Or run errands.
Or play games.
Fair concern.
But let me whisper something.
The three hours saved from commuting could easily cover most of that.
Let’s also be honest about what happens during an eight-hour office day.
Fifteen minutes before work starts.
Fifteen minutes preparing to leave.
A few toilet breaks.
A few coffee breaks.
A few discussions that begin with work and end with holiday plans.
A few arguments that could have been emails.
And suddenly, the eight hours don’t look quite like eight hours anymore.
Then come the meetings, back-to-back.
Meetings to prepare for meetings.
Meetings to discuss what happened in the previous meeting.
By the end of the day, everyone is exhausted and nobody remembers why the first meeting was called.
Working at home, many employees simply get on with the job.
No commuting.
Fewer interruptions.
More flexibility.
More actual work.
Of course, not every job can be done remotely.
And some people genuinely prefer the office environment.
That’s perfectly fine.
But perhaps productivity should be measured by results rather than by how long someone’s chair is occupied.
Or when an employee leaves the office at 12.15 am.
As for me?
If I can write articles beside my small pool, with a cup of coffee nearby and no traffic jam in sight, I know where my vote goes.
What about you?
Are you Team Office or Team Work From Home?
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