Is Working From Home Bad For Your Career?

In this blog, you will learn:

• The pros and cons of working from home.
• Where the latest jobs are and how to apply for them.

In March 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic dramatically changed the working lives of millions of employees. As kitchen desks transformed into office desks virtually overnight, many professionals were thrust into new ways of working. 

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) found that 25.9% of people worked from home in 2020, compared to just 12.4% in 2019. 

In February 2022, the ONS further discovered that 84% of workers who had to work from home because of the pandemic said they intended to carry out a hybrid (home and in the office) working pattern in the future.

In 2022, the then chancellor, Rishi Sunak, claimed that Zoom is ‘no substitute’ for face to face interaction within an office environment as you are unable to ‘form solid relationships’ through them. 

Now a few years on from the Covid-19 pandemic, employers have settled into their new policies, whether that be fully remote, fully in the office, or a hybrid of the two. But what are the pro’s and con’s fully remote working? While remote work offers undeniable advantages, it’s not without its challenges.

For many, the appeal of working from home lies in its flexibility. There’s no daily commute, no rigid dress code, and often more control over how the workday is structured. This freedom can lead to better work-life balance, increased productivity, and improved job satisfaction. Parents, caregivers, and those with long commutes especially benefit from the extra time and reduced stress that remote work can offer.

However, the picture isn’t entirely rosy. Working from home can blur the lines between professional and personal life, making it harder to “switch off” at the end of the day. Some people may struggle with isolation, lack of motivation, or a feeling of disconnect from their teams. Technical issues, distractions at home, and the absence of face-to-face interaction can also take a toll over time.

Pros of working from home

The pros of working from home include:

• Get more work done.
• Improved communications.
• More convenient.
• Improved mental and physical health.

Get more work done

If you’re the type of person who thrives from working from home, continuing remote working could actually help to further your career. If you’re more proactive, get more work done and produce exceptional results in the comfort of your own home, why would you return to the office? 

By reducing the number of distractions in a busy office space (such as loud music and interruptions from colleagues), this could help you to over achieve which is fantastic for your career and CV in the long run.  

Improved communications

If lockdowns taught us anything, it was how to connect and communicate through the power of technology. Almost overnight, millions of UK professionals were forced to continue working from the comfort of their dining table; through this isolation, the need to communicate with fellow colleagues was more vital than ever before. 

This has resulted in professionals overcompensating and becoming experts in how to communicate.   

More convenient

There’s no doubt that working from home is more convenient, particularly for professionals who have to juggle child care and other commitments. 

When working from home, professionals not only save money but they can claw back some valuable time within their day to spend it on something more meaningful to them. 

Improved mental and physical health

With less stress and anxiety caused by long commutes and office politics, the working week can seem much more bearable for some professionals. 

Studies have found that commuting just 10 miles to work each day could increase your risk of depression, give you higher cholesterol levels and elevate your blood sugar. 

By switching a commute to a more significant activity, this can help to improve mental and physical health. Time saved could be used getting extra sleep, working out or spending more time with your children.

With improved mental and physical health, this could have a positive impact on the work you produce and the results you achieve, meaning it enhances your career in the long run. 

Cons of working from home

The cons of working from home include:

• You’re not building relationships.
• Missing out on training.
• Work spilling over into your home life.
• Being out of the loop.

You’re not building relationships

When you work day in and day out with your colleagues, it’s only natural to build healthy working relationships. Though you might not know it, these relationships could help you in your career immensely through helpful advice, mentorship or pointing you in the right direction should a better career opportunity become available. 

Relationships can be much more difficult to forge or manage through platforms such as Zoom. If you’re new to a business in particular, it could be a much longer process in getting to know your work colleagues (personally and professionally) by having to do it online.  

Missing out on training

Depending on your learning style, you could be missing out on vital training. Some people thrive through online learning whereas some learn better ‘in the classroom.’ 

Learning opportunities can come in many guises; just by having a presence in the office, you could gain a vast amount of knowledge about the business and how to succeed just by being around more senior members of your team. 

Love it or loathe it, training could be the difference between you failing and succeeding in your role.  

Work spilling over into your home life

Without a defined end to the working day (i.e. leaving the office and driving home) some professionals struggle to find a healthy work-life balance when working from home. 

A poor work-life balance, such as working late into the evenings or having to answer emails at weekends, can eventually lead to employee fatigue.

By burning out, this will have a negative impact on your career - if you can’t find a healthy balance, remote working might not be for you. 

Being out of the loop

During periods of lockdown where it was a mandatory requirement to work from home, communications would be held online on platforms such as Zoom or Skype. With everyone in the same boat, it was fairly easy to keep track of what you needed to know. 

For offices which have now adopted a hybrid working model, it could be fairly easy to slip into a situation where you are missing out on vital bits of information if you are working from home and your colleagues are heading into the office each day. 

Chats whilst making a coffee, impromptu meetings and lunch breaks are times where you could be missing out on casual collaboration. 

Searching for a new job?

If you’re searching for a new and exciting career opportunity, why not check out the latest jobs available or upload your CV and be contacted when a suitable vacancy arises.

Struggling to recruit?

Recruiting throughout the UK, across eleven different specialisms, we support local authorities, public sector organisations and private companies with their recruitment needs. 

If you’re struggling to recruit top talent, why not take a look at everything we offer or submit a vacancy to get the ball rolling today! 

Who is Spencer Clarke Group?

Established in 2017, we’re an award winning and progressive recruitment agency based in the heart of the North West. Our reputation is built on trust, expertise and an unwavering commitment to exceed expectations. 

In 2024, we were named Recruitment Agency of the Year at the prestigious Recruiter Awards, an accolade we are extremely proud of. 

We operate in two sectors:

Private Sector

Public Sector 

In eleven specialisms:

Accountancy & Finance

Education & SEND

Construction, Trades & Labour

Healthcare, Social Care & Nursing

Housing

Corporate Functions & Business Support

HR & Workforce Development

IT & Digital

Property & Asset Management  

Planning, Development & Regeneration 

Highways, Infrastructure & Engineering