Workers across industries have spent the last few years learning the ins and outs of remote work, but this unprecedented shift has also revealed the benefits of working in an office.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, around 20% of employed adults worked fully remote or in a hybrid situation as of August 2023. As more employees and organizations begin to evaluate the perks of an in-office environment, let’s examine five benefits that were overshadowed at the height of remote working.
1. Job security and advancement
According to a survey from the American Staffing Association, 56% of respondents believe working in an office has advantages.
For example, employees who work exclusively in-office are perceived as having a competitive advantage over their fully remote counterparts in getting raises, bonuses and promotions.
According to a study from Nature Human Behavior, remote employees worked 10% longer hours. Remote workers may feel they must work longer hours to compare favorably with in-office colleagues who can easily communicate and form bonds with leaders they physically see every day.
Perhaps one of the simplest ways an in-person situation benefits career advancement is how much easier it can be to ask questions.
In a recent Employee Spotlight, Rachel, a client support specialist, said she makes the most of her support system in the Paycom offices. “Find your person. Having that one person to help get you through the initial learning curve makes all the difference. We all need that person who can encourage us on the tough days.”
Maybe that’s why Paycom was named to Comparably’s 2023 Best Company for Career Growth list!
2. Identifying a work-life balance
It may seem counterintuitive, but one of the benefits of going to the office is leaving the office.
For remote workers, the line between personal and professional time can be hard to define. A 2021 study by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) found 67% of employees working from home said they have trouble getting away from work at the end of the day.
Working in an office setting requires some concessions, but one upside is the simple separation when you leave at the end of the shift.
This tricky balancing act gets a bit easier with employer-provided perks. These help employees focus on their work because their personal needs are covered. Perks organizations like Paycom provide can include caregiver support, fitness programs and even connections with counseling services.
3. Increased socialization and employee engagement
How important is casual break room conversation? According to a 2021 APA survey, it’s a pretty big deal! This research found 65% of employees felt isolated or lonely as a result of working from home.
Remote workers also tend to be less engaged than their in-office counterparts. Their connection to the mission and purpose of their organizations has deteriorated to a record low, according to a recent Gallup survey.
Grabbing lunch in the cafeteria, stopping by a co-worker’s desk or visiting the watercooler gives employees a chance to build connections and fit into the social fabric of a workplace. No matter how well you perform in a remote setting, these connections are easy to lose in a decentralized work situation.
Many organizations provide outlets for employees to connect outside their day-to-day, like through employee resource groups. These in-person outlets can foster opportunities for employees to volunteer, create meaningful connections and learn more about the cultures within a workplace.
Paycom, for example, gives employees access to a fully equipped fitness center and a cafeteria serving catered lunches. Both are great places for employees to unwind, catch up and build important workplace relationships.
4. Better communication of culture
Volumes have been written about the importance of organizational culture, but it doesn’t take a thought leader or expensive academic study to get at something we all intuitively understand: It’s hard to get culture through a screen.
When a company’s culture keeps everyone moving in the same direction, communicating and participating in its values can be essential to success. Unfortunately, company activities are hard to do through an email or video chat. When in-office employees and their leaders can work with each other face to face, the transmission of culture and its resulting effects are easier to achieve.
One organization that has a proven track record of communicating and leveraging its culture is Paycom. It’s been so effective that it has been ranked on Oklahoma’s Top Workplaces list for 11 years straight!
5. Better collaboration
Collaborating is like throwing a party: You need a good mix of people and the right location. And like a good party, collaborative efforts spontaneously may occur when you put motivated, creative individuals together.
Nonverbal communication, interpersonal dynamics and an ability to read the room are catalysts to effective collaboration. That’s a tall order for a Zoom meeting or email exchange, but an IRL office experience helps those unique factors thrive.
Some workplaces — like the Paycom headquarters — are designed to foster and channel collaborative energies. Providing dedicated spaces and tools for brainstorming sessions and collaboration meetings makes it easy to get the ideas flowing.
Each job hunter has to decide what constitutes their ideal work situation, so be sure to consider how the benefits of working in an office can help you achieve your professional goals.
If you’re looking to level up in a workplace that understands how people work better together, apply to Paycom today.
