The pandemic has changed our lives and taught us lesser-known terms like ‘quarantine,’ ‘lockdown,’ ‘social distancing,’ and so on. It has also taught us that work from home is a feasible and beneficial option in many sectors. Since people are advised not to go out unnecessarily, work from home is considered an effective solution. However, people will miss the hustle and bustle that an office environment has to offer.

​

In India, work from home had positive impacts like less commute cost for the employees, cost-saving for employers as the offices were shut, and environmental benefits. The cleaner air of Delhi during the lockdown is an example of the positive environmental impact of work from home. However, distractions, time management, lack of motivation, and maintaining effective communication with colleagues are a few challenges to work from home. 

Work from home has increased our energy consumption. As per a study done by British professor Margaret Bell, people working from home consume 75 per cent more energy than those who go to offices in the UK. Even though there has been no similar study done in India, many cases reported high electricity bills.  June 2020 revealed an increase in energy consumption. Few people’s electricity bills increased by three to fifteen times. Moreover, during the summer months, people use air conditioners to cool their rooms for a prolonged period when they work from home. Prolonged air conditioner usage increases the per person energy requirement for cooling homes to be much higher than that in the offices, which usually use energy-efficient centralised air conditioners.

​

According to a study done by Oracle, in nearly 11 countries, work from home also has few harmful psychological effects on the employees. It reduces the interactions between colleagues and makes them feel lonely. Before the outbreak of COVID 19, most people usually worked together in big teams towards a common goal. Work from home does not fit this usual way of working. Moreover, about 85 per cent of people working from home face difficulties in balancing their work and home life.

​

Many companies like Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), and Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages plan to make remote working permanent for a certain percentage of their employees. For instance, TCS is mulling to permit 75 per cent of its employees to work from home by 2025. Similarly, Infosys and Tata Steel are keenly assessing the jobs roles for which permanent work from home is feasible. Thus, the per cent of the workforce doing work from home will increase after COVID 19 is over, compared to the pre-COVID times. Moreover, Spotify has announced that it will purchase the membership of a co-working space for its employees, who are working from home.

Co-working spaces are office spaces equipped with Wi-Fi connections, IT facilities, power, and other facilities. In co-working spaces, employees from different companies share the office space. Since a co-working space is a shared office space, it is a solution to the problems faced by an employee while working from home.

​

As of 2019, India has 850 Co-working spaces, which are mostly limited to tier 1 cities. In 2020, about 250 co-working spaces were operational only in 40 tier 2 cities. Since there will be a surge in the number of people working from home after the end of the pandemic, the number of co-working spaces operational in India is insufficient. Co-working spaces should be constructed, especially in cities and rural areas without any co-working spaces. More co-working spaces will enable the employees to work from an office space near their residences. Thus, the policymakers should start considering co-working spaces as an essential part of a residential society.

If there are co-working spaces in rural areas, then there will be reverse migration of people. Reverse migration of people will reduce the overpopulation in urban areas. Moreover, this kind of reverse migration will boost the socio-economic development of rural areas. Thus, it strengthens the viewpoint of constructing co-working spaces in rural areas. 

​

If there is enabling infrastructure, then co-working spaces have the potential to substitute work from home by providing shared office spaces. If co-working spaces replace work from home, then employees can overcome problems they face while working from home. The government should promote co-working spaces and include the construction of co-working spaces as a part of Smart City projects and Rural Development projects. Thus, the future will be more fruitful and productive.