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Is working from home better than working from an office?
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Working from home increases productivity

Employees tend to work longer hours when working from home.
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The Argument

Working from home has proven to increase productivity in employees. In an office setting, a person is interrupted by coworkers frequently so they lose concentration, then have to gain it back. Remote employees do not have to endure typical office distractions and conversations so they remain focused for longer periods of time. A study at Stanford Univerity concluded there was a drastic boost in employee performance when allowed to work from home. Productivity increased by thirteen percent per week, which is equivalent to a full day of work.[1] Telecommuters often work longer hours, with shorter and more infrequent breaks. Employees are also less likely to call in sick or take vacation days. There is no separation from office and home life, so people typically spend more time working instead of commuting, taking a lunch break, or talking to coworkers. Companies are able to earn more productivity out of their employees by allowing them to work from home.[2]

Counter arguments

People who work from home can expereince as many distractions as office workers. It is easy to go from doing work to slacking off because people cannot concentrate while working from their homes. Although some people may thrive while telecommuting some employees struggle to work independently without supervision from their boss.

Premises

[P1] Working from home boots employee productivity. [P2] People expereince many distractions while working in an office. [P3] Remote employees are more likely to work longer hours. [P4] Therefore, working from home is better.

Rejecting the premises

References

  1. https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/faculty-research/working-papers/does-working-home-work-evidence-chinese-experiment
  2. https://hbr.org/2014/01/to-raise-productivity-let-more-employees-work-from-home
This page was last edited on Friday, 22 May 2020 at 00:20 UTC

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