Workers across industries have spent the last few years learning the ins and outs of remote work. However, this unprecedented shift has inadvertently revealed some of the benefits of working in an office.
Data from CivicScience shows that 37% of employed adults were working fully remote or in a hybrid situation as of Jan. 1, 2023. As more decide that in-office working is more effective, let’s examine five benefits of in-office work 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.
Some remote workers 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, Lauren, a Paycom software developer, said she makes the most of her colleagues’ expertise. “There are so many talented team members who have been around for a long time. They’re always willing to answer questions or help out,” she said.
Maybe that’s why Paycom was named to Comparably’s 2022 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 that 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.
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, those valuable experiences are easy to lose in a decentralized work situation.
Organizations that provide ways for employees to make these connections are poised to take advantage of the benefits. 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 10 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.
