Pros and Cons of Home Office during the Covid-19 Pandemic

¹ Institute of Technology and Business in České Budějovice, Faculty of Corporate Strategy, Okružní 517/10, 370 01 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
² University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava, Faculty of Social Sciences, Hajdóczyho 1, 917 01, Trnava, Slovakia

^* Corresponding author: michala.moravcova@ucm.sk

Abstract

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, many changes have taken place, not only in the economic and health sector but also in the labor market. Many workers had to shift to work from home regardless of their previous experience in having a home office, bringing many challenges and possible benefits and drawbacks. The paper aims to analyze the advantages and disadvantages of the home office trend during the Covid-19 pandemic and their differences in terms of location through a literature review method, synthesis, and subsequent comparison. The research has shown that the most common benefits of working from home include time flexibility, no need to commute, and a reduced risk of contracting the Covid-19. Better communication and physical health are among the least mentioned and therefore the least frequent benefits of the home office trend. The results show that social isolation, work-life balance, and lack of equipment are the most common disadvantages. The least common cons include issues with performing tasks, back pain, or long meetings. In terms of location, the most common advantages and disadvantages vary considerably. In some cases, however, the differences in terms of location were slight to almost non-existent. The findings indicate that it is not clear whether the home office trend and the transition during the Covid-19 pandemic are positive or negative, as it has both advantages and disadvantages. They vary in terms of location, which may be due to the different development of countries and cultural differences.