Home office advantages: Why working from home is worthwhile for employees and companies

At the latest since the outbreak of the Corona virus, the topic of home office has become relevant for many employers and employees. More and more people are working from home. The local connection to the employer's premises is no longer necessary. Employees perform their tasks in their home study, in a café or in another favourite place. Working from home offers numerous advantages. We give you an overview of the positive sides of the home office.

A quieter, stress-free environment as an advantage of the home office

A study by Ecophon and the Stockholm Stress Research Institute found that people who work in an open-plan office are sick more often. This is not only due to the faster spread of illness. In most cases, higher stress levels are the cause. This increases due to distractions and constant background noise. The noise causes a sensory overload.

The adrenaline level rises. Loud conversations quickly reach a noise level of up to 70 dB. By comparison, this corresponds to the volume of a lawn mower. In addition to the noise, there is a visual commotion that quickly overwhelms highly sensitive people. Concentration and productivity therefore often fall by the wayside.

Home office is a healthier alternative to the office. There are no distractions and no loud noises. People work more productively in their familiar stress-free environment. They complete tasks quickly and efficiently. At home, you create a pleasant working atmosphere, listen to your favourite music on the side or work on complex projects in peace and quiet.

Advantages of a home office: working more efficiently from home

If you work from home, you miss the daily conversations with your colleagues. For some, this is one of the disadvantages, others are happy about the welcome time out. The nagging colleague is far away. Just like the colleague who thinks he's a joker. Home workers work more efficiently due to fewer distractions. They get their workload done faster. In addition, the stress caused by constantly ringing phones, the boss or colleagues looking over your shoulder is reduced.

Less risk of infection at home

Due to the close contact with colleagues, illnesses are transmitted more quickly in office communities and open-plan offices. This is true not only for corona and flu viruses. There are over 100 different types of bacteria on a door handle. Respiratory illnesses such as coughs and colds or a norovirus spread like wildfire. This is the biggest disadvantage for the employer, as employees have to take sick leave more often and work comes to a standstill as a result.

Another disadvantage or danger are air conditioning systems in companies. Contaminated filters and rapid changes in room temperature promote colds. Bacteria appreciate the darkness and humidity of the ventilation system, which allows them to multiply unhindered.

The advantage of a home office: you work alone. The probability of catching a cold from other colleagues is low. At home, you ventilate regularly. The fresh air drives away viruses and germs. At the same time, it increases concentration and productivity.

No risk of infection on the way to work

Another positive aspect of eliminating the need to travel to work: by not using public transport, you reduce the risk of infection. These are a place with an increased risk of infection.

Defeat chronic fatigue thanks to home office

There is a long list of typical office illnesses. At the top of the list is chronic fatigue. Sufficient sleep and a good work-life balance counteract this. By eliminating commuting, there is more time in the morning to sleep in. Regular ventilation increases the oxygen content in the room. This has a positive effect on the microcirculation of your blood. At the same time, the fresh breeze dispels tiredness. If this and a headache announce themselves, take a short walk before going back to work. Exercise helps boost motivation and productivity. A change of scenery provides space for new ideas. The reduced stress means you sleep more soundly.

Healthy advantage: home office is easy on the back

Back pain is one of the most common physical complaints of office workers. Sitting for too long causes tension and has a negative effect on the back muscles. An ergonomic office chair and regular exercise prevent stiffness in the back and neck. It is advisable to stand up every thirty minutes. A few small exercises from back school counteract incorrect strain and pain. This is impossible in a normal office.

The advantage in the home office? There is enough opportunity to move regularly. Make yourself a coffee, work standing up for a short time, clear out the dishwasher or do a few exercises for a healthy back. Regular breaks are good for your health. They also prevent varicose veins and carpal tunnel syndrome.

Reduced time pressure by working from home

The daily commute to work means stress for many people. During rush hour, they struggle with traffic jams, aggressive drivers or a lengthy search for a parking space. Time is the biggest enemy. If the train is late, the bus pulls away in front of them or the car windscreen is iced over, employees are under enormous time pressure. Being late reflects badly on work morale. You avoid all these disadvantages by working in a home office.

The workplace is only a few metres away. You save time travelling to and from work every day. At the same time, you sleep longer. Many employees commute an hour or more longer to and from work every day. The advantage of a home office: you start the day more relaxed. Afterwards, you have more space for a hobby or sporting activities such as swimming or jogging to compensate. You counteract the negative effects of stress such as high blood pressure and heart disease. More free time means greater satisfaction and a better work-life balance.

Less costs for mobility

In addition to time, you save costs for mobility in the home office. If you no longer have to travel to work, the expenses for public transport or the fuel bill are reduced. What many people don't think about is that daily car journeys cause wear and tear on the vehicle. The costs for this are around 6 euros per 100 kilometres. At the end of the month, the savings leave the employee with more money.

It is important that you still leave the house regularly, as working in a home office quickly tempts you to stay at home all day. A short walk in the park, outdoor sporting activities or shopping in neighbouring shops create a good change of pace.

Adapt the working day to your biorhythm

The advantage of a home office is that you can arrange your working hours flexibly. In many creative professions it is possible to divide up your time yourself, as long as you achieve your daily workload. If there are no fixed core working hours, meetings or appointments, realising this is no problem. Then decide whether you want to start earlier and have more time in the day or work longer to allow yourself an extended lunch break. Adjust your working time to your biorhythm, and you will do your day's work more efficiently and faster than in predefined patterns. This is especially relevant for "night owls" who are more productive in the evening hours than during the day.

It is not possible to freely organise working hours in all sectors. Companies that have fixed core working hours expect continuous availability during this period. This also applies with regard to customer meetings and the speedy processing of enquiries.

Flexibility in the working day

D he increased flexibility regarding working hours has a positive effect on your work-life balance. This benefits families by leaving more time for the children. Conversely, they work when their charges are in kindergarten or sleeping. Relatives who take care of relatives in need of care also benefit from teleworking. For them, it is not an option to pursue a normal job in the office.

At home, they can easily do their job and take care of the person they are caring for. They are more flexible in attending medical appointments. You stay at home when the handyman comes or a furniture delivery. You can easily hang on to the lost working time in the evening.

Lower expenses for clothing, canteen and delivery service

Most companies have a special dress code. You buy smart clothes more often and go to the cleaners regularly. At home, you wear what you like. Only the regular video meetings require a minimum of respectability. That saves a lot of money. Another factor is the expense of lunch in the canteen, orders from the delivery service or coffee with colleagues. Since these are eliminated, you have more money for an exclusive purchase.

Taking responsibility for your work

By working from home, you take on more personal responsibility. Your employer gives you the chance to prove yourself. If you motivate yourself to perform well, your boss will continue to trust you to work efficiently and more productively from home. The change in working conditions, free from stress and distractions gives you the opportunity to perform at your best.

More comfort in your own four walls

In the home office, some employees allow themselves the luxury of working in their sweatpants. It's more comfortable. The big advantage? No one sees it. The same applies to your workplace. It doesn't matter where or how you set it up. What counts is that you reliably do your job as usual. For some teleworking workers, the familiar office outfit is important to separate work and leisure. This keeps them focused on their task.

They are more likely to return from parental leave

New parents worry about missing the connection in the company after the baby break. The advantage of a home office? You are more likely to return to your employer if necessary. You can do your work from the comfort of your own home. This gives you the opportunity to continue your duties in the company. At the same time, you take care of the children. In this way, you benefit from a good work-life balance. It is important that your private life does not interfere with concentrated and effective work. Constant interruptions from partners and children are poison for this and can quickly turn out to be a disadvantage.

Manage housework cleverly

Use the time you don't have to travel to work to take care of important household tasks. Do the laundry, wash the dishes or tidy up before you go to work. Most people do these tasks when they come home in the evening or at weekends. In the home office, there is time to do this every day. Conversely, you get more free time in the evenings and at weekends.

Better work-life balance

Most of the benefits of home office are important sub-aspects of a good work-life balance. The term stands for a balance between private and professional life. It is important to balance your private interests with your work.

Working from home makes it possible to combine work, career, family and hobby. You divide your time freely, do sports, go for a walk or pick up the children from school. After work, you are immediately at home. In the morning there is more time for breakfast with the family. The important thing is that you continue to fulfil your workload in a targeted manner.

Home office is good for the climate

An important factor in favour of working from home is sustainability. Working from home eliminates the need to travel by car or public transport. Your CO2 footprint is much lower. In this context, the "Report on Mobile Work" commissioned by the FDP is interesting.

According to the calculations of the Institute for Applied Labour Science (ifaa), we save 853,248,000 kilogrammes of CO2 per year if 10 percent of the working population worked in a home office on a weekday. A considerable value, which is multiplied by more employees working from home. Also positive for the environment is the reduction in energy consumption, which comes in the form of electricity for equipment and lighting.

More productive work thanks to home office

There are many distractions in the office. The daily chit-chat with colleagues takes up valuable time. In the home office, there is no contact with other colleagues. Workers spend more time on work. A Stanford University study by Nicholas A. Bloom et al. on "Does Working from Home Work? Evidence from a Chinese Experiment" confirms the increased efficiency compared to employees who do not work in a home office.

The study involved 16,000 employees of a rice agency in China. It showed that the productivity of home workers increased by 13 percent. In some cases, home office employees voluntarily work longer hours to finish a project, thus increasing efficiency.

Home office as an incentive for new employees

For many employees, the option to work from home is important when deciding on a job offer. They want a better work-life balance instead of rigid structures and static workplaces. Flexible working hours and not having to travel to work allow for more free time. It is less stressful and quieter at home than in offices.

Parents looking after a child or relatives caring for relatives are given a chance to return to the labour market. The prerequisite is that employees clearly separate work and leisure time. The possibility of a combined work model, where employees work in the office and in the home office on a daily basis, looks more attractive to potential employees.

Greater diversity of applicants for advertised jobs

If employees work at a permanent workplace within the company, they come from the local area, as the daily commute is an important time factor. If you offer home-based jobs, the radius for finding employees increases. In this way, employers find qualified employees who are not within the radius of the company's headquarters. If necessary, you hire skilled personnel from other (federal) countries who come into your selection due to higher qualifications.

Employees in home offices are more satisfied

Employees who work part-time in a home office are more satisfied than employees who are denied the opportunity to work from home. This is the result of a study by the ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research in Mannheim.

No costs for the employee's workplace and office

If many employees work from home, they do not need an office workspace. Many employees telecommuting offer the opportunity to reduce the need for office space. This reduces costs for rent and electricity. Most employees already have a workstation at home. The employer only pays for the computer and other necessary equipment.

Expenditure on infrastructure and office equipment is reduced. In winter, heating costs for unused office space are eliminated. If lights, computers and other equipment are not used, electricity costs are reduced. In some cases, flat rates for cleaning, employee drinks and snacks are eliminated.

Tips for your home office: Use a headset in your home office. This way you do not disturb your family and you can work more focused.