What Is the Future of Work: WFH or WFO?

The debate between WFH (Work From Home) and WFO (Work From Office) spiked again, after the COVID-19 pandemic began to rise. Yes, 2 years ago, it seems that a lot of offices still insist on implementing WFO, even though it is not a vital community service. Now, after everything is gradually getting back to normal, companies that are already “used” to WFH, are starting to think, “should we go back to WFO or not?” For mutual convenience, many companies end up concentrating on employees’ choices. They are given the freedom to work anywhere. So, before you decide, let’s weigh it first, the pros and cons between WFH and WFO!

WFH has already become a trend during the pandemic. It turns out that with just a laptop and internet access, we can still get cash. QACraft once conducted research on the wishes of employees after the situation began to normalize: Do they want to go back to WFO or do they still want WFH? As a result, 72% of respondents still want WFH, 19% want Hybrid, and only 9% want WFO.

WIth WFH, we can have a balance between life outside the office and work. WFH also allows us to use working hours as effectively as possible. For example, we can speed up doing our assignments before 8 hours, so we can have more spare time for the rest of our lives. But, WFH can indeed “take” other household chores. If you’re not good at managing your time, these details can actually be a distraction that hinders your work. And the cons, also, lack of interaction with co-workers can also lead to a lack of bonding with them.

Even though WFH has become very popular during the pandemic, WFO is still the choice of many people. This is evident from a survey released by Jakpot in September 2022 regarding workplace preferences after the pandemic. As many as 44% of respondents chose to return to the office, 21% were hybrids, 19% WFA, and only 15% wanted WFH. Many of the respondents who chose WFO came from Generation X or millennials. Meanwhile, Generation Z prefers hybrids.

Work schedules can be much longer when you’re WFH, as there are usually lots of distractions. Not to mention, you have to be able to manage your own time to take care of your personal and professional life. For this reason, working in an office has fixed working hours. And we can’t deny that nothing beats face-to-face communication. With WFO, we can easily discuss work with peers. No need to wait for the meeting time.

So, which one do you prefer? Whether you want WFH or WFO, each has its pros and cons. Have fun!