Work from Home Vs Work from Office?

KAKALI DAS

The ongoing debate between working from home and heading to the office – as this global tug of war continues, Indians have firmly chosen their sides.

A new study reveals that Indian employees are happier, more productive, and more enthusiastic when they come to work and get a break from Zoom calls. However, across the pond, American workers are clinging to their remote comfort zones, calling hybrid work the ticket to sanity.

So, what’s better: working from your couch or the cubicle? This final report attempts to answer this nagging question.

Work from Home Vs Work from Office — Image: Powershift

In the global debate over working from home versus the office, the verdict is clear. India’s office workers are back at their desks and enjoying it. Meanwhile, workers in the West are clinging to their laptops like security blankets on the couch, refusing to let go.

A spicy new survey spills the tea: Indian office-goers are winning the mental health game over their work-from-home and hybrid counterparts. As for workers in the West, they’re mostly clinging to their sweatpants and the fridge, which is conveniently right there.

Indians report that their workload is manageable compared to their global and American peers.

A report by LinkedIn in 2023 reveals that a whopping 71% of Indians feel they have to go above and beyond to achieve while working from home. Emails at midnight? Check. Always online? Double check. All to ensure no one thinks they’re slacking off in their pyjamas.

In an ironic twist, 62% of Indians actually enjoy a good desk bombing. Surprise office visits serve as the perfect antidote to work-from-home Zoom fatigue. Who would have thought that impromptu office pop-ins could be the new form of self-care?

Numerous factors contribute to the mental health of employees. At the top of the list are relationships with colleagues, a sense of pride and purpose in their work, staying informed about developments, relationships with their managers, manageable workloads, flexibility, and having control over their jobs.

Meanwhile, in the U.S. and Europe, hybrid work is seen as a fundamental right. Forcing employees back to the office is essentially the corporate equivalent of the dark ages. Their mental health demands flexibility, ideally with a home office view that doesn’t include cubicles.

laptop with copybook and cup of coffee on bed sheet — Photo by Vlada Karpovich on Pexels.com

A recent survey indicates that 54% of U.S. employees prefer the couch over the cubicle. In response, Western companies are going all out with perks, from free lunches to beer taps, yet employees remain unimpressed. Amazon, Walmart, and even UPS are abandoning work-from-home policies, hoping their employees will show up.

Indian employees, in contrast, are clearly more pragmatic. They prioritize support for commuting and childcare. Perhaps having beer on tap next to a desk isn’t the ultimate morale booster after all.

As the work-life landscape evolves, the days of purely remote work are fading faster than our New Year’s resolutions. Only 11.5% of jobs are fully remote, and workplace experts are now promoting a new mantra: a little office, a little remote. Perhaps that’s the ideal work recipe.

So while Western workers dig their heels into remote territory, Indian office-goers are back in action, soaking up the buzz of office life and feeling the mental boost. To them, the office isn’t a chore; it’s a second home—because HR insists, “we are a family” (eyes roll).

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