Going Remote

I started working for my current employer in 2014. It originally started out in an office in Downtown Indianapolis. Though our offices are still there and operate Monday through Friday as normal, I was one of the many employees who transitioned to working remotely from home towards the start of the pandemic back in 2020. While I would never praise the pandemic in itself for bringing about an era of global fear and uncertainty, I must admit that some of the changes that it brought about aren’t so bad. And one of those changes is the ability to work from home.

I’ve always wanted to work from home, even before the pandemic. I’m really just a big homebody. I can generally be in my element and be the most productive version of myself when I’m in my own space. I think there’s a large contingent of the world’s workforce that feels the same way because nobody wants to go back to the office. And believe it or not, there’s plenty of reason why we don’t want to go back, too.

First and foremost in my mind is the skyrocketing cost of gas. Commuting back and forth to the physical office is completely off my radar for the time being until gas falls back to a reasonable price (if it ever even does!). Whether you agree with the current political climate or not, who can honestly say that they are okay with those prices at the pump? Secondly, I can’t imagine going back to the distressing beige or gray cubicle walls when I can be here to pet my cats anytime things start getting stressful.

There are plenty of reasons why I would think that a company would want to embrace remote working as well. Less overhead, for starters! We’re not there consuming electricity, internet, water, or coffee. Hell, if the entire office were transitioned to working remotely, you could close the physical office completely and stop spending so much on a physical location! Logistics may sound like a nightmare, but it shouldn’t be — there are successful companies that have a distributed workforce all over the world. Plus, the hiring process might get a lot easier if you considered candidates from anywhere instead of staying local.

Want to get into the nitty-gritty? It’s easier and less expensive to head to your own kitchen for lunch than trying to figure out something to eat in the office. Your own bathroom is much more comfortable than sharing one with a bunch of other people. Your own bed is even nearby in the event that you need to take a quick nap during your break. And since you aren’t really dressing for anyone but yourself, feel free to keep those pajamas on, baby! Unless you have an unexpected video call, nobody is ever going to know the difference.

I’ve preferred every moment of working from home versus working in a physical office. So I guess the reason why I’m writing about it is to pose a question to the world: If it can be done from home, why isn’t it?

Until next time…