Advantages and Disadvantages Of Remote Working

Source: Pixabay

If you’ve ever worked from home, you’ll know that it’s a pretty relaxed situation. Others are forced to drag themselves out of bed in the morning at a specific time, fall into their clothes, pour themselves into the car, and then face morning traffic. Only to then have to face a boss that likely respects them as much as a cog in a machine. Or is that just generalising?

Those who have taken the smart approach and managed to find employment that allows them to work from home are not bound by such common challenges. They do what they like, get up when they feel like it, play online Blackjack whenever they desire, eat toast while others face traffic, and then spend an hour rubbing the dog’s tummy before even contemplating the day’s to-do list. Or so you’d think anyway.

Turns out, there are pros and cons to each situation, and some of these can even impact on your health!

Job Security Is Important

The first thing to take into account is the enormous increase of self employed individuals. Research polls show that after the so-called Great Recession in the United States, the percentage of those who are considered self employed took an enormous jump. From 10% in 2005, to just under 16% in 2015. That’s a great many more than might have been assumed. But are they all really spending hours rubbing the dog’s tummy, and messing around in their pajamas?

Some perhaps are, but the first, and biggest factor to keep in mind is job security. Professor of psychology at City College of New York, Irvin Schonfeld pointed out that many of those who are now self employed, or freelance did not fall into the position willingly. Instead, it was out of necessity, due to having lost their jobs when difficult times hit.

The biggest complaint among the vast majority of them? Major anxiety over job security. And this factor is also just the beginning.

Lack Of Health Care

Affordable health care was also a major concern amongst freelancers and those that are self-employed, given that it was beyond their reach in terms of cost. A serious problem, linked to lower physical and mental well-being. It need not be pointed out that this would be far less of a problem with a traditional 9-5 job. The overall result is a theoretical link in the number of the self-employed people that suffer from heart attacks, depression, and other ill health effects.

On the Other Hand

If it’s starting to sound like being self-employed is some sort of death sentence, then hold your horses. On the counter side, evidence by researchers is all but overwhelming that those who are not required to go into the office are infinitely more likely to eat right, exercise regularly, and generally lead far healthier lifestyles.

It may not exactly balance out the lack of health insurance, but it does raise the question as to how much it would be needed, given that the subject in question is living a far healthier overall lifestyle.

Office Workers Unite

So how are those in office work doing? The biggest complaint amongst office workers is a serious lack of job satisfaction, as well as a general hatred of hours involved. This is to be expected, and more or less what most associate with 9-5 jobs.

But with a higher income on average, healthcare, and perhaps even other job benefits, some may just prefer the daily grind. It seems to be a case of balancing out pros and cons, and deciding on the work situation that best suits your needs and preferences. Traffic and low job satisfaction with health care versus a healthier lifestyle and much greater opportunity to rub your dog’s tummy?