Fuse Insights   •   March 05, 2021

In March of 2020, when the COVID pandemic came into full view, many of us found ourselves moving out. Of the office, that is. We packed up our laptops, organized our sticky notes, grabbed our favorite office plants and wondered how long it would be before we re-experienced client meeting leftovers and the awe of fluorescent lighting.

Well, it’s March 2021 now and most of us are still working from home, which begs the question: Is the traditional office still viable? By forcing people to work remotely, the pandemic has opened us all to new ways of working. Companies like Twitter and Square have given employees permission to work from home indefinitely, while other organizations have announced intentions to reduce their office space. Looking back to before the outbreak, many businesses were reluctant to let employees work from home, citing a potential lack of productivity and trust. But things have changed — big time.

According to smallbizgenius, 4.3 million US employees now work from home at least half the time. That’s a 140% increase since 2005 and the reasons are clear: Companies that allow remote work have a 25% lower average turnover rate, and people who work remotely (even once a month) are 24% more likely to be happy and productive. The numbers are starting to add up. Today’s smaller companies are prone to hire remote full-time workers. They cost less and are more productive, while using less company space, electricity and equipment.

Before starting Fuse Digital, I was ECD at SQ1 in Portland, Oregon. I got up at 6:00 a.m. every morning, showered and dressed, and hit the road in time to see the sunrise. But between leaving the house and arriving at work, there was really no telling how I’d feel, and it was all based on how good or bad the traffic was. Sometimes it would jam up so much, I’d have to dial into a meeting from the car. Talk about distracted driving.

Today, I still wake up at 6:00 a.m., but now, instead of hitting the shower (or shaving), I throw on some sweatpants and a V-neck T-shirt, brew some fresh coffee, steam the milk, and stroll into my home office overlooking the woods beside our house. I browse the NY Times online, check the stock market, and start writing down early morning thoughts. After my coffee, I jump on our Peloton, take a quick 20-minute ride, then I shower. And it occurs to me: If I was still working at the downtown office, I may not even be there yet.

In the 12-months I’ve worked from home, I’m less stressed and more productive. I eat healthier. I don’t have as many unnecessary meetings. There’s no wait for the bathroom and everything in it is mine (or my wife’s). My car has about 10,000 fewer miles on the odometer. And of course, every day is Take Your Dog to Work Day.

But not everything is as good as it sounds. Working remotely works well for many reasons, but it can also come at a cost. According to a YouGov survey in partnership with USA TODAY and LinkedIn, 51% of respondents who work remotely said they felt lonely and isolated. Feelings like this have been amplified by the pandemic, but loneliness has always been a common complaint for remote workers.

Pandemic-related school closings have also taken a huge toll on families. Couples are being forced to juggle working from home while trying to keep their K–12 children emotionally engaged in their schoolwork. It’s a daunting equation, especially considering many children are battling emotional distress from months of social isolation and a lack of school structure.

The reality is, we all miss each other. We miss coming to the office and talking face-to-face. We miss getting out of the house, being in the center of town, eating at an outdoor café, or having the occasional group lunch. We miss happy-hour Fridays, employee potlucks, and morning chitchats with the parking lot attendant. For many of us, working from home also makes it difficult to create a healthy separation between work and leisure.

Obviously, there are pros and cons to everything. But once the pandemic is behind us and our children are back in school, which would you pick?

Remote? Office? Or somewhere in between?

If you work from home, you can avoid feelings of isolation by bringing some of those office norms to you. Invite local work colleagues out to lunch, even if you have to socially distance or wear a mask. Host a brainstorm meeting on your patio or in the park. You’ll be energized by it and feel more connected to your team.

If you work full-time from the office, try choosing one day out of every week to work remotely. See if you feel more in control. Taking just one day to do things your way can lower your stress and help make you more productive.

We all work in different ways and it’s important to do what works best for you. Just remember, technology exists for a reason, so use it to your advantage. But keep in mind that safe, in-person get-togethers can be equally as important.

A lot has changed in the last 12 months and the traditional way we work may never be quite the same. But one thing that will never change is our need for human connection. So, keep those Zoom (or Teams) meetings coming, check in with one another “just because,” and never lose faith that when this pandemic is fully behind us, we’re going to have a really big office party — in person.

Cheers!