Face-to-face office work has been the most traditional way of working for quite some time now. And this did not happen without a valid reason. For example, until ten years ago the ways of communication were extremely limited, this required to meet others in person in manner to get the job done. Or the resources needed for work were situated in one location that demanded a personal presence. Nowadays, as a result of the globalization, entering the information era and the rapid change of technology the working life with all of its aspects has gone thought major changes – new ways of communication, new demands from the work environment, work style and so on. Creating the virtual office work is one of the results of this change that suits to new demands of the market and with it come great benefits. Starting from simply reducing costs from office space, to offering a greater independence to workers to define their own working time, location, etc. in a way that fits their needs, boosts their creativity in the best for the individual manner. That gives more autonomy and freedom to people to control their own work-life balance, which in modern times is becoming more and more important issue.
However, practical reasons aside, humans are naturally social creatures as well. We have the need to belong; we participate in different clubs, look for people with the same interests, hobbies, etc. Work is not an exception. Face-to-face work has its benefits in those aspects that virtual office work lacks of. Such as the sense of belonging and identity that come with creating relationships with the people you work with, colleagues, business partners. Creating those in person makes a much stronger bond compared to relationships formed over email or a phone call.
Even though virtual communication is faster and easier now than ever before, the good old face-to-face method is still more advantageous in a few other aspects. First, the possibility the see the body language of the other person is essential, since non-verbal communication is half of the whole process. Second, it is much easier and faster to work on group activities or discussions when you have everybody at the same place, exchange ideas or come up with fast solutions to complex issues. Furthermore, when in face-to-face social surroundings, people tend to be more attentive and concentrated, taking more participation and being more involved in what is happening, rather than when doing it from distance.
Comparing even the most general pros and cons of both methods shows that it is quite clear that a collaboration of both facets can be extremely beneficial to the new age of work life, since they complement their strengths and weaknesses in a strong manner. Adapting the new techniques with the traditional ones when creating the work space (not just the physical location but the organisational identity and belonging) is a great way to respond to the new era demands. Of course, it is strongly individual for different organisations, businesses and fields of work in general to decide what type of work environment works best. However, it is also important for organisations going thought a change of their work style, to take under consideration their core values and what technique or a combination of techniques will be most suitable for them.
By: Iva Plocheva