19 November 2021
Are You Going Back to the Office?
Who is reading this article working from home in their PJ’s?
You’re not the only one! With the rise of working from home spending the day in your leggings at your desk isn’t that uncommon. And it might not be a bad thing.
In fact, skipping the daily rise and grind is one of the major reasons why some employees are not looking to return to the office. But for some people, and many creatives, that thrive on human interaction they might not have felt as cosy at home as the rest of us. When it comes to designing and generating ideas — no artist works best alone. In a world of Zoom calls and digital workspaces — we crave human interaction more than ever.
Working From Home Benefits
The past two years have heralded a major shift in how we view our work life balance.
Borrowing from the New York Times, they cite these major reasons for why we’re not rushing for a return to normal.
- Less time commuting: I don’t think anyone misses the 5 pm rush on the road.
- A known environment: No one will judge how many times you make a cup of tea.
- Financial savings: No more ducking to 7/11 for a sneaky chocolate treat.
- More time: You don’t have to commute home before your afternoon walk.
- Greater productivity: Major studies have shown little difference in productivity.
We have to say — this all sounds really good! So why do some people find working from home more mentally draining?
The Drawbacks of Working From Home
If you thrive off being around others, you might find working from home difficult.
Not only do you miss the social aspects of work, but you also miss the small interactions that can often lead to project breakthroughs. How many times have we popped over to a colleagues desk to pitch them a crazy idea? It happens all the time!
Some common answers why people don’t like working from home include:
- Lack of community: This was a major one for creatives.
- Less motivation: Some people can find it hard to get motivated
- Lack of equipment: Sometimes your old laptop isn’t up to the task — especially if you are a designer.
- No free space: Unless you have a spare room or office WFH might be difficult.
- Burnout: It can be hard to separate your working and home life.
Do you identify more with this list of cons? Just know that you’re not alone. We have all missed the simple joy of just chatting with your coworker.
Finding Balance And Creativity
At Bellman, we introduced a number of ways to ensure that we were still working creatively.
One of these is called ‘Creative Brunch’. All you had to do was make a cuppa (or grab a coffee) and do a short show and tell about something creative that had excited you this week. It could be anything from a podcast (check out this soothing nature sounds podcast) or what we have been watching (we loved Starstruck!) in a way that was informal and casual.
What this did was essentially replace the usual office chatter. And the strange thing was that we left these meetings feeling creatively energized — not drained! This was just one of the ways we helped to foster creativity at Bellman.
As we all head back to the office it’s important to remember that connection is what drives us. So make sure that when you go back to your office, even if it’s not a creative one, to take some time to have a chat with someone.
