Gabrielle Rockson

The argument of working from home versus working in the office has been widely debated in the corporate world in recent times.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, we saw an influx of remote work as the world adapted to the contagious virus.

Since then, many have returned to the office, working either full-time or in hybrid roles. However, there is a population of people, like myself, who have remained remote. Since graduating from university in 2021, the majority of my professional career has been remote.

Apart from my internships as a student, where I worked full-time in the office, and my graduate job — where I had to come into the office once a week — my work as a journalist has been done from the comfort of my home, and quite frankly, I wouldn’t want it any other way.

I think everyone is different and should choose what works for them, and working from home certainly works for me.

One of the greatest pros of remote work is being able to save both money and time on transport.

Transport can cost a lot when you’re doing daily one to one and a half hour commutes on the train. And while train journeys can be peaceful at times, I definitely prefer saving the £600+ per month in travel expenses.

This is cash that can go towards saving goals, an investment account, or other needs.

I also like the fact that after work, I can immediately switch off and focus on other important areas of my life, such as my family.

If I want to start cooking dinner or head to the gym quickly, I can. I don’t have to wait for my one to one and a half hour commute to be over before making food or doing something else (this doesn’t apply if you live near the office).

Trying to figure out what to cook after a long commute, then having only a few hours of free time before needing to sleep and do it all again, feels very imbalanced to me. Most of the day ends up being spent working, commuting to work, or commuting from work.

Another great thing about remote work is that if your company allows it, or if you’re self-employed, you can travel while working.

When I was self-employed, I travelled to Madrid, Spain for two months and had the best time. I was able to learn more Spanish and meet new people, all while not losing income.

There was a tweet that went viral last year about whether someone should take a fully remote $120k salary or a $240k salary that required five days a week in the office.

I think both options are valid. Some people would immediately take the $240k choice, especially if they live near the office. However, I still lean more towards the $120k remote salary.

I’d be able to see more of the remote pay than the full-time office choice because once commuting costs, time, social expenses and higher tax brackets are factored in, the gap between the two salaries feels smaller in real terms.

I’ll never say never to working in the office, as seasons do change in life. In the future, I may prefer being in the office more, but for now, I’m enjoying my home-working life.

Working from home is something I’ve said I wanted to do since I was a kid.

Overall, I think remote work provides professionals with more time after work and more freedom from commuting. It can also help people spend more time with their loved ones, especially parents who want to spend more time with their children before they go to bed.

Either way, if a job can be done from home, I think employees should be given the choice to decide what’s best for them and their circumstances.