Working from home is not as uncommon as you might think, in fact it is becoming more and more popular with employees and employers. Home working does have its advantages but also has some pitfalls that you should be aware of before you or an employer considers this option.
Pros
Less Commuting Time
One huge benefit to working from home is less time wasted in traveling to work, especially if you work in a major city. This will be time you can use productively instead of sitting on a train, driving or bussing to work.
Cost saving
By staying at home, you will of course save the cost that going to work brings such as train fairs, fuel and parking which can make a big dent in your salary. This cost saving is of particular help to employers as they will need less office space, computers, desks etc.…
Flexibility
This is probably one of the best benefits. Creating your own working environment and hours will make you at your happiest and ultimately most productive. Determining your own environment will put you in a more familiar and comfortable position which can make day to day working a much more enjoyable time and far less of a chore.
Less Stressful
Most of you will already know that just the commute to work can be stressful, whether it be traveling in rush hour traffic or an overcrowded train putting you in a disgruntled mood before you have even sat at your desk. Other stresses can be less than friendly co-workers, a drab office environment and never-ending distractions. Needless to say, working from home negates all this.
Balance
A balance between work and life is often achieved through working from home. If you have the flexibility to work from home and at times in the office this can go a long way to optimising that balance. The idea of a healthy work / life balance is increasing in popularity and is something that many people are expecting, particular millennials.
Cons
Loneliness/Isolation
Working from home does create a sense of isolation which can be very depressing for some. The workplace is somewhere you can regular converse with other people, where you develop strong friendships and regular interaction can be a better option than segregating yourself away from your colleagues. Many people who work from home will often find somewhere more social to work like a coffee shop where they can take an hour or so each day to get out the house and do some of their simpler work like checking and relying to emails.