essay on working from home

The bright future of working from home

There seems to be an endless tide of depressing news in this era of COVID-19. But one silver lining is the long-run explosion of working from home. Since March I have been talking to dozens of CEOs, senior managers, policymakers and journalists about the future of working from home. This has built on my own personal experience from running surveys about working from home and  an experiment  published in 2015 which saw a 13 percent increase in productivity by employees at a Chinese travel company called Ctrip who worked from home.

So here a few key themes that can hopefully make for some good news:

Mass working from home is here to stay

Once the COVID-19 pandemic passes, rates of people working from home will explode. In 2018, the Bureau of Labor Statistics  figures show  that 8 percent of all employees worked from home at least one day a week.

I see these numbers more than doubling in a post-pandemic world.  I suspect almost all employees who can work from home —  which is estimated  at about 40 percent of employees ­— will be allowed to work from home at least one day a week.

Why? Consider these three reasons

Fear of crowds.

Even if COVID-19 passes, the fear of future pandemics will motivate people to move away from urban centers and avoid public transport. So firms will struggle to get their employees back to the office on a daily basis. With the pandemic, working from home has become a standard perk, like sick-leave or health insurance.

Investments in telecommuting technology

By now, we have plenty of experience working from home. We’ve become adept at video conferencing. We’ve fine-tuned our home offices and rescheduled our days. Similarly, offices have tried out, improved and refined life for home-based work forces. In short, we have all paid the startup cost for learning how to work from home, making it far easier to continue.

The end of stigma

Finally, the stigma of working from home has evaporated. Before COVID-19, I frequently heard comments like, “working from home is shirking from home,” or “working remotely is remotely working.” I remember Boris Johnson, who was Mayor of London in 2012 when the London Olympics closed the city down for three weeks, saying working from home was “a skivers paradise.” No longer. All of us have now tried this and we understand we can potentially work effectively — if you have your own room and no kids — at home.

Of course, working from home was already trending up due to improved technology and remote monitoring. It is relatively cheap and easy to buy a top-end laptop and connect it to broadband internet service. This technology also makes it easier to monitor employees at home. Indeed, one senior manager recently told me: “We already track our employees — we know how many emails they send, meetings they attend or documents they write using our office management system. So monitoring them at home is really no different from monitoring them in the office. I see how they are doing and what they are doing whether they are at home or in the office.”

This is not only good news for firms in terms of boosting employee morale while improving productivity, but can also free up significant office space. In our China experiment, Ctrip calculated it increased profits by $2,000 per employee who worked from home.

Best practices in working from home post pandemic

Many of us are currently working from home full-time, with kids in the house, often in shared rooms, bedrooms or even bathrooms. So if working from home is going to continue and even increase once the pandemic is over, there are a few lessons we’ve learned to make telecommuting more effective. Let’s take a look:

Working from home should be part-time

I think the ideal schedule is Monday, Wednesday and Friday in the office and Tuesday and Thursday at home. Most of us need time in the office to stay motivated and creative. Face-to-face meetings are important for spurring and developing new ideas, and at least personally I find it hard to stay focused day after day at home. But we also need peaceful time at home to concentrate, undertake longer-term thinking and often to catch-up on tedious paperwork. And spending the same regular three days in the office each week means we can schedule meetings, lunches, coffees, etc., around that, and plan our “concentration work” during our two days at home.

The choice of Tuesday and Thursday at home comes from talking to managers who are often fearful that a work-from-home day — particularly if attached to a weekend — will turn into a beach day. So Tuesday and Thursday at home avoids creating a big block of days that the boss and the boss of the boss may fear employees may use for unauthorized mini-breaks.

Working from home should be a choice

I found in the Ctrip experiment that many people did not want to work from home. Of the 1,000 employees we asked, only 50 percent volunteered to work from home four days a week for a nine-month stretch. Those who took the offer were typically older married employees with kids. For many younger workers, the office is a core part of their social life, and like the Chinese employees, would happily commute in and out of work each day to see their colleagues. Indeed,  surveys in the U.S.  suggest up to one-third of us meet our future spouses at work.

Working from home should be flexible

After the end of the 9-month Ctrip experiment, we asked all volunteers if they wanted to continue working from home. Surprisingly, 50 percent of them opted to return to the office. The saying is “the three great enemies of working from home are the fridge, the bed and the TV,” and many of them fell victim to one of them. They told us it was hard to predict in advance, but after a couple of months working from home they figured out if it worked for them or not. And after we let the less-successful home-based employees return to the office, those remaining had a 25 percent higher rate of productivity.

Working from home is a privilege

Working from home for employees should be a perk. In our Ctrip experiment, home-based workers increased their productivity by 13 percent. So on average were being highly productive. But there is always the fear that one or two employees may abuse the system. So those whose performance drops at home should be warned, and if necessary recalled into the office for a couple of months before they are given a second chance.

There are two other impacts of working from home that should be addressed

The first deals with the decline in prices for urban commercial and residential spaces. The impact of a massive roll-out in working from home is likely to be falling demand for both housing and office space in the center of cities like New York and San Francisco. Ever since the 1980s, the centers of large U.S. cities have become denser and more expensive. Younger graduate workers in particular have flocked to city centers and pushed up housing and office prices. This 40-year year bull run  has ended .

If prices fell back to their levels in say the 1990s or 2000s this would lead to massive drops of 50 percent or more in city-center apartment and office prices. In reverse, the suburbs may be staging a comeback. If COVID-19 pushed people to part-time working from home and part-time commuting by car, the suburbs are the natural place to locate these smaller drivable offices. The upside to this is the affordability crisis of apartments in city centers could be coming to an end as property prices drop.

The second impact I see is a risk of increased political polarization. In the 1950s, Americans all watched the same media, often lived in similar areas and attended similar schools. By the 2020s, media has become fragmented, residential segregation by income has  increased dramatically , and even our schools are starting to fragment with the rise of charter schools.

The one constant equalizer — until recently — was the workplace. We all have to come into work and talk to our colleagues. Hence, those on the extreme left or right are forced to confront others over lunch and in breaks, hopefully moderating their views. If we end up increasing our time at home — particularly during the COVID lock-down — I worry about an explosion of radical political views.

But with an understanding of these risks and some forethought for how to mitigate them, a future with more of us working from home can certainly work well.

Related Topics

More publications, state taxation and the reallocation of business activity, clean vehicle tax credit: the new industrial policy and its impact, from c to shining c: competition and cross-subsidy in communications.

Working from home (Corrected Essay)

Some say that it would be better if the majority of employees worked from home instead of traveling to a workplace every day. Do you think the advantages of working from home outweigh the disadvantages?

Office has no longer been the only work place since many people are considering working from home. Some may argue the majority of employees should change their work place from office to home. In my opinion, the benefits of working from home can surely surpass the drawbacks due to the following reasons:

Office has no longer been the only work place since many people are considering working from home. Some may argue the majority of employees should change their work place from office to home. In my opinion, the benefits of working from home can surely surpass offset the drawbacks due to the following reasons: various reasons.

The first sentence is not accurate. It implies that people did not work from home in the past; however, throughout history, many people did work from home, for example, the classical novelists and artists.

“ Can surely ” is an informal expression and does not contribute anything to the preciseness of your writing.

The correct verb to follow the word “benefit” is not “ to surpass ”, but rather “ to offset ”, “ to outweigh ”, or “ to exceed ”.

Do not end your sentence with a colon ( “:” ), unless you want to provide a list of items immediately after that.

Working from home is a lot more comfortable for lots of people. Employees can save a great deal of time and money since they do not have to travel so often, which means people will have more time for work and for themselves, too. Less travelling will also help reduce traffice traffic jam congestion and pollutants to our environment environmental pollution . Besides, working at home does not mean staying inside all day long, people can choose to work in their garden or backyard, wherever makes them feel convenient to work. Moreover, employees are under less stresses stress since they get to decide when to work and when to take rest with a flexible working schedule . These things will help giving out better perfomance to tasks.

Words like “comfortable”, or “convenient” are too generic to use in an IELTS writing context. Generally, it’s better to use other words.

Lengthy phrases like “a great deal of time and money” (7 words) are considered as informal and ambiguous. Try to use shorter expressions, for example “time-saving and cost-efficient” (3 words only).

In a formal context, “ traffic congestion ” is more preferrable than “ traffic jam ”. When being alone, the word “ jam ” can be understood as a type of food. It’s always better to use a word that only has one meaning, regardless of the context.

The third sentence in this body paragraph is an example of poor cohesion. “ Traffic jam ” is not parallel to “ pollutants to our environment ”. “ Traffic jam ” is a condition (abstract), not a physical material (touchable by human) like “ pollutants ”. Therefore, you need to use another condition that is parallel to “ traffic jam ” (“ environmental pollution ”)

The fourth sentence (“ Besides, working at… ”) should be placed in the second body paragraph. The author is tailoring his ideas by providing the advantages of working from home in the first body paragraph, then listing the disadvantages in the second body paragraph while attacking those disadvantages notion at the same time. This kind of idea (“ to play the devil’s advocate ”) is good, but the execution isn’t. Insufficient coherence like this will hamper your score in Coherence & Cohesion criterion.

“Stress” as in “psychological stress” is an uncountable noun.

Try to improve the conciseness of your essay by rewritting a sentence clause (S+V) into a noun phrase. For example, “ since they get to decide when to work and when to take rest ” can be shorten into “ with a flexible working schedule ”.

The last sentence is redundant and ungrammatical.

To be fair, There are still some disadvantages that home-working could bring of teleworking . For instance, working from personal space will reduce direct face-to-face interactions among colleagues. But However, the problem is solved thanks to the Internet. As for now, people from around the globe can easily contact and work with others from distances. Another drawback is that some people may get distracted from work by external factors. This situation requires employees to be highly awared awarded of what they should and should not do for their paid jobs.

The accurate way to describe the act of working from home is not “ home-working ”, but rather “ teleworking ” or “ telecommuting ”. The author has miss his chance to improve the Lexical Resource score.

Generally, in a writing context, do not start your sentence with a short subordinate conjuction (“ and ”, “ or ”, “ but ”, “ for ”).

The third sentence in this paragraph is very unclear, especially when the followed sentence does not provide a good explanation. The author has to elaborate more on the Internet’s merits (social softwares such as “ instant messaging ”, “ collaborative software ”, etc)

The author has failed to provide a counter-argument for the notion of “ people may get distracted from work by external factors ”. Not to mentions he does not elaborate what is the “ external factors ”. Again, weak cohesion.

Do not simply stating “ this ” as a sentence subject. This type of grammatical mistake is called “unclear antecedent”, or “unclear aphoric noun”, and should be avoid by extending the subject with a word like “ condition ”, “ situation ”, “ issue ”, etc.

In conclusion, working from home should be encouraged because the advantages overcome the disadvantages.

The conclusion is coherent with the introduction and the two body paragraphs. Though, it is a little bit too short.

(Words: 261)

Overall: 6.0

Task Response: 6

✓ addresses all parts of the task although some parts may be more fully covered than others (the author has written more than 250 words and addressed the topic question)

✓ presents a relevant position although the conclusions may become unclear or repetitive

✓ presents relevant main ideas but some may be inadequately developed/unclear

Coherence and Cohesion: 6

✓ arranges information and ideas coherently and there is a clear overall progression (the ideas in each paragraphs are coherent with eachother)

✓ uses cohesive devices effectively, but cohesion within and/or between sentences may be faulty or mechanical

✓ may not always use referencing clearly or appropriately (the author usually fails at providing good supporting evidence for his argument)

✓ uses paragraphing, but not always logically (the fourth sentence in Body Paragraph 1 should be placed in Body 2 instead)

Lexical Resource: 5

✓ uses a limited range of vocabulary, but this is minimally adequate for the task (all the vocab used in this essay are very generic) ✓ may make noticeable errors in spelling and/or word formation that may cause some difficulty for the reader

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: 6

✓ uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms

✓ makes some errors in grammar and punctuation but they rarely reduce communication

----------------------------------------------------------

This essay is corrected by Anh Tran - Let's Write Something Group .

Share with friends

Scan below qr code to share with your friends, related ielts tips.

Buying things on the Internet (Corrected essay)

Buying things on the Internet, such as books, air tickets and groceries,...

Water pollution (Corrected Essay)

Pollution of rivers, lakes and seas is a major concern for people who seek...

Countries are becoming more and more similar

Countries are becoming more and more similar because people are able to...

9 Academic IELTS Writing tips on how to get Band 7

This is the article from one student, Band 7 in IELTS, and here he shares...

Advantages and disadvantages of studying an online course (Corrected Essay)

In the last decade, there has been a great increase in the number and variety...

Thank you for contacting us!

We have received your message.

We will get back within 48 hours.

You have subscribed successfully.

Thank you for your feedback, we will investigate and resolve the issue within 48 hours.

Your answers has been saved successfully.

Most Popular

10 days ago

Into vs In to

How to reference a movie in an essay, how to write a position paper, is gen z actually lazy this admission consultant doesn’t think so.

11 days ago

How Do You Spell?

Employees should be able to work from home more often essay sample, example.

To allow employees to work from home means to balance the eternal “work-family” scales. According to a Penn State study, being able to work outside of the office (at home, mostly) helps to avoid typical conflict situations that arise when a person cannot spend enough time with their family. Besides, working from home relieves an employee of the daily stress connected to the necessity to get to their office regardless of health conditions, weather, family circumstances, and so on (Salary.com).

According to the Work Without Walls survey, among the benefits connected to working from home are the following: a less stressful environment (38%), a quieter atmosphere (43%), an elimination of a long commute (44%), less distractions (44%), increased productivity (45%), saving money on gas (55%), and a great work/home balance (60%). At the same time, according to the survey, the lack of control and the inability to see results of work in practice may negatively affect productivity of those employees who work from home (Forbes).

Try our online assignment planner!

It will guide you step-by-step through the process of finishing your assignments without stress, while also managing your time.

Assignment breakdown into parts and deadlines

Useful assignment tips with references and guidelines

Custom reminders to finish the assignment in time

Working from home generally improves employees’ satisfaction with their lives and workplace ; reduces attrition and the number of unscheduled absences due to poor health conditions and other reasons; increases productivity due to fewer distracting factors, more comfortable working conditions; saves employer’s (and employee’s) money and minimizes chances of workplace discrimination; provides employees with opportunities for underemployment, and so on (Globalworkplaceanalytics.com).

The Internet allows millions of employees whose duties do not require them to be present in the office to work from home. Although many employers do not seem to be enthusiastic about letting their employees work from home, this practice is in many ways beneficial for both the employer and the worker. In particular, working from home allows employees to successfully maintain a work-family balance; an increased level of productivity, decreased stress, less discrimination, economy, and opportunities for freelancing and underemployment are among the most frequently named benefits of working from home. Therefore, employers should consider enabling this practice more often.

Persuasive essays are not just a school type of work. You might need this style of writing on many occasions, maybe even to get a promotion at work. This text is a good example to get inspired. Nevertheless, when you find yourself struggling a bit, you can search through the best online essay writing services for help and useful advice.

“Top 10 Benefits of Working from Home (Survey Results).” Forbes. Forbes Magazine, n.d. Web. 13 Jan. 2015. <http://www.forbes.com/sites/kevinkruse/2012/12/18/benefits-working-from-home/>

“5 Reasons to Let Employees Work from Home.” Salary.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Jan. 2015. <http://business.salary.com/5-reasons-to-let-employees-work-from-home/slide/2/>

“Advantages of Telecommuting for Companies.” Global Workplace Analytics. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Jan. 2015. <http://globalworkplaceanalytics.com/resources/costs-benefits>

*Note: Make sure your Reference Page formatting alignes with your requirements. If you need ACM citations don’t hesitate to use acm format generator tool to help with those.

Follow us on Reddit for more insights and updates.

Comments (0)

Welcome to A*Help comments!

We’re all about debate and discussion at A*Help.

We value the diverse opinions of users, so you may find points of view that you don’t agree with. And that’s cool. However, there are certain things we’re not OK with: attempts to manipulate our data in any way, for example, or the posting of discriminative, offensive, hateful, or disparaging material.

Comments are closed.

More from Best Persuasive Essay Examples

May 28 2023

How does outdoor exercises impact our health and well-being? Essay Sample, Example

Should Screen Time Be Limited? Essay Sample, Example

Why Video Games are Good for the Brain. Essay Sample, Example

Remember Me

What is your profession ? Student Teacher Writer Other

Forgotten Password?

Username or Email

Why Working From Home Is Better Essay

Introduction.

Working from home, a worker is at a greater advantage with several benefits than those who work in the office. Employees working remotely have less stress because they do not have to commute daily to work. Besides, working from home guarantees better work-life balance since workers are more flexible in deciding when to open and close their work. In addition, workers operating remotely save more finance and spend less. Overall, employees working from home are likely to be more productive and experience higher growth than those performing their duties directly from the office.

During the COVID-19 period, individuals were forced to work from home following the global lockdown undertaken by most governments as a measure to mitigate the spread of the deadly virus. Despite the restriction, the approach proved essential since many staff found it easier and more convenient to work remotely as opposed to the workplace. Besides, workers recorded a higher productivity rate compared to the periods when they worked in the offices (Ozkan et al. 3). During the short period and the subsequent adoption by most organizations, it demonstrated that numerous hidden advantages characterize working from home and that most people benefited greatly from the measure (Parker et al. 12). While there could be some disadvantages of remote working, recent experience showed that people benefited and enjoyed working from their homes and would still prefer working remotely even after the end of the pandemic.

Benefits of Working Remotely

Saves money.

Additionally, employees working from home save more money and spend less than their colleagues going to the offices. When performing duties at home, a worker is spared unnecessary expenses such as transportation costs. Whether one uses public or private means, the daily movement cost to the workplace is always exorbitant. These costs translate to money (Purwanto et al. 6238). Remote working, therefore, comes with the relief of not incurring the daily transport cost and the related costs of traveling (Wolfer and Sondra). The money meant for transport costs can be channeled to other development projects for personal growth or saved for other things.

Besides the transport cost, individuals going to the workplace incur other expenses, such as refreshments during lunchtime, since not all organizations provide meals for their staff. For enterprises that do not offer food, workers are forced to purchase the meals on their own leading to more expenditure. Even for the businesses which provide mealtimes for their employees, the foodstuffs are never sufficient and often supplemented by other items bought with money from personal accounts (Ojala and Satu 78). Professional wardrobes are additional costs that characterize the workplace since many office jobs require cabinets. Therefore, remote working facilitates money saving by avoiding such expenses.

Improved mental health

Workers working remotely have proven to enjoy better mental health compared to their counterparts working in offices. This is attributed to the peace and relaxation they have at home because they are alone with no manager to bother and quarrel with them. In addition, employees working from home enjoy better mental health because they can have enough sleep, a thing denied by staff in offices (Wolfer). Remote work allows a worker to close work at a convenience and have enough rest.

Facilitates Flexibility and Work Balance

Additionally, employees working from home enjoy more flexibility than those in offices because they can have a personal schedule to balance both official and domestic work. Workers have various errands which they must perform, and at the same time, they are obligated to perform official duties designated by their employees. At the workplace, the staff is confined to one area and a typical work schedule, which makes it challenging to balance both responsibilities. However, remote working provides suppleness as one can set their timetables, which allows them to balance both duties (Ipsen et al. 2). Since an individual is able to organize private plans, they can end their day as they choose and resort to other domestic duties. Similarly, a colleague working remotely can multitask and achieve success domestically and at their respective organizations (Oskarsson et al. 39). For example, staff can suspend their official duties for a while and do laundry work or kitchen work and resume later, a privilege that cannot be obtained while going to the formal workplace.

Working from home is also flexible in the context of providing enough family time. Often, employees who visit the workplace in the morning and return in the evening need more time to spend with family members, leading to a family gap (Oskarsson et al. 40). Family bonds are strengthened by physical presence; be it a parent-kid bond or couple bond, the partners must at least spend some time together (Purwanto et al. 6239). This, however, is different with many families whose members do not work remotely because they spend most of their time in their workplaces and the remaining time sleeping due to exhaustion. After spending time in the workplace and traveling back home, it is evident that one gets tired and takes a nap (Galanti et al. 2). The ripple effect is then felt in the family, which will be the continued absence of the member. A father, for instance, will be considered absent by his kids and even his wife. Such mysteries are therefore prevented by working from home, which provides the needed flexibility and time for family members. Individuals working remotely have enough time with their family members and are always available whenever needed.

Provides Comfort

Furthermore, working from home grants employees some sort of comfort following limited supervision. While performing duties remotely, a worker is comfortable because they are free to do anything at any time and can choose any position for their workstation. Whether under a tree shade, in the bedroom, or wherever, an employee working from home is of their own volition to choose and can relocate the workstation whenever necessary (Wolfer & Sondra 2). Moreover, employees working from home enjoy the comfort of serenity and peace that the home environment provides. At the offices, a worker is likely to engage in brawls with colleagues or managers, something which is avoidable while working remotely. And since they work in comfort, employees are more productive while working from home. Besides, the comfort also gives workers at home a greater chance of personal growth and numerous opportunities.

Less Commuter Stress

Lastly, daily commuting is full of stressors, such as traffic jams and rude travelers. While this is not an everyday occurrence, on bad days, the workers will likely experience long traffic jams or face rude travelers who do not care about their feelings. Such experiences are dull and affect one’s productivity (Oskarsson et al. 40). Remote working, therefore, saves employees from facing such experiences and ensures they remain in high spirits for their respective duties. At home, a colleague will not meet a rude traveler or be held in a long traffic jam which will lower their productivity.

While it is not perfect due to minor challenges like lack of concentration due to possible distractions from family members, especially kids, which might lower one’s efficiency and effectiveness, such challenges can be easily avoided by setting up a home office far from the children’s reach. Another minor challenge that might be attributed to working from home is the lack of creativity and innovation since staff does not share ideas. However, that can be sorted by telephone consultation and engagement among colleagues (Ozkan et al. 2). After all, employees normally have communication outside of the workplace; thus, such information can be used for the same. Some may also argue that working remotely is difficult to supervise, but that is not a problem, provided a worker understands what is required of them. Some employees work well under minimum supervision, as they should. Despite these challenges, working from home remains the better option for many individuals owing to the comfort and tranquility it provides.

Despite the end of the Corona pandemic, workers in America and other countries would still prefer to work from home than work in the offices because it offers flexibility for easier work-life balance. In addition, working from home provides comfort and tranquility facilitated by the home environment. Furthermore, individuals working from home are spared of the commuter stressors like traffic jams that accompany staff going to the workplace daily. Lastly, working from home is economical as it helps employees to save money by avoiding unnecessary expenses like transport costs.

Works Cited

Galanti, Teresa, et al. Work from Home during the COVID-19 Outbreak: The Impact on Employees’ Remote Work Productivity, Engagement, and Stress .” Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, vol. 63, no. 7, 2021, p. e426, Web.

Ipsen, Christine, et al. “ Six Key Advantages and Disadvantages of Working from Home in Europe during COVID-19 .” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 18, no. 4, 2021, p. 1826, Web.

Ojala, Satu. “ Supplemental Work at Home among Finnish Wage Earners: Involuntary Overtime or Taking advantage of Flexibility? ” Nordic Journal of Working Life Studies , vol. 1, no. 2, 2011, pp. 77-97, Web.

Oskarsson, Emma, et al. “Work-Life Balance among Newly Employed Officers – A Qualitative Study.” Health Psychology Report , vol. 9, no. 1, 2021, pp. 39-48.

Ozkan, Necmettin, Oya Erdil, and Mehmet Şahin Gök. “ Agile Teams Working from Home During the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Literature Review on New Advantages and Challenges .” International Conference on Lean and Agile Software Development . Springer, Cham, 2022, Web.

Parker, Kim, et al. “How the Coronavirus Outbreak Has – and Hasn’t – Changed the Way Americans Work.” Pew Research Center , 2020, pp. 1-31.

Purwanto, Agus, et al. “ Impact of Work from Home (WFH) on Indonesian Teachers’ Performance during the Covid-19 Pandemic: An Exploratory Study .” International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology, vol. 29, no. 5, 2020, pp. 6235-6244, Web.

Wolfer, Sondra. “ 9 Best Benefits of Working from Home (and 5 Potential Drawbacks) .” The Muse, Web.

• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2024, February 27). Why Working From Home Is Better. https://ivypanda.com/essays/why-working-from-home-is-better/

"Why Working From Home Is Better." IvyPanda , 27 Feb. 2024, ivypanda.com/essays/why-working-from-home-is-better/.

IvyPanda . (2024) 'Why Working From Home Is Better'. 27 February.

IvyPanda . 2024. "Why Working From Home Is Better." February 27, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/why-working-from-home-is-better/.

1. IvyPanda . "Why Working From Home Is Better." February 27, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/why-working-from-home-is-better/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Why Working From Home Is Better." February 27, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/why-working-from-home-is-better/.

• The Concept of Remote and Office Working
• Remote Working: Impact of Technological Development
• Bottlenecks in a process
• Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and Person-Centered Care
• E. Durkheim and G. Simmel's Sociological Theories
• "The Culture Industry" by Adorno & Horkheimer
• Power in Lukes', Gaventa's, and Mouffe's Views
• Today's Kant and Modern State of Three Cultures

Essay on Working From Home

Students are often asked to write an essay on Working From Home in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Working From Home

Introduction.

Working from home is when employees perform their job duties from their residences instead of going to an office. It’s a flexible way of working, made possible by technology.

Working from home has several advantages. It saves commuting time, provides a comfortable environment, and allows flexibility in work hours.

However, it also has challenges. It requires self-discipline, can lead to feelings of isolation, and may blur the line between work and personal life.

Thus, working from home is a mixed bag. It offers convenience but demands responsibility and good time management.

Also check:

• 10 Lines on Working From Home
• Advantages and Disadvantages of Working From Home

250 Words Essay on Working From Home

The evolution of work culture.

The advent of technology has revolutionized work culture, with remote work or ‘working from home’ emerging as a viable alternative to traditional office-based jobs. This shift is not merely a temporary response to global crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, but a long-term trend driven by the evolving needs of modern workers and businesses alike.

Advantages of Working from Home

Working from home offers several advantages. Firstly, it eliminates commuting, saving both time and money. It also provides flexibility, allowing individuals to tailor their work schedule around personal commitments. This flexibility can lead to improved work-life balance, reducing stress and enhancing overall well-being.

Challenges of Remote Work

However, remote work is not without its challenges. The lack of physical separation between work and personal space can blur boundaries, potentially leading to overworking. Additionally, remote work can result in feelings of isolation and disconnection from colleagues, which can impact morale and productivity.

The Future of Work

Despite these challenges, the future of work is increasingly leaning towards remote work. Companies are recognizing the cost savings from reduced office space and increased employee satisfaction. Meanwhile, employees are seeking greater autonomy and flexibility in their work.

In conclusion, working from home represents a paradigm shift in the way we perceive work. It is not without its challenges, but its benefits for both employers and employees make it a trend that is likely to continue. As we navigate this new landscape, it will be crucial to develop strategies that maximize the benefits of remote work while mitigating its potential drawbacks.

500 Words Essay on Working From Home

Introduction to working from home.

The concept of working from home has gained unprecedented momentum in the past decade, especially during the recent pandemic. It’s a work model that enables employees to execute their tasks from the comfort of their homes, eliminating the need to commute to a physical office.

The Evolution of Remote Work

Previously, the notion of remote work was largely associated with freelancers or those in specific industries. However, the advent of digital technology and the internet has opened up new avenues. With the capability to share information in real-time, businesses of all sizes have begun to embrace this model. The COVID-19 pandemic further accelerated this trend, making remote work a necessity rather than a choice.

There are numerous benefits to working from home. Firstly, it offers flexibility in terms of working hours and environment, which can lead to increased productivity. It also eliminates the time and stress associated with commuting. Additionally, it can provide a better work-life balance, as employees can spend more time with their families or pursue hobbies.

The Flip Side: Challenges of Remote Work

Despite its advantages, working from home is not without its challenges. The lack of face-to-face interaction can lead to feelings of isolation and can potentially hinder effective communication. Moreover, the blurred lines between personal and professional life can lead to burnout. It also requires a high level of self-discipline and motivation to stay productive in a home environment.

Technological Tools Facilitating Remote Work

To combat these challenges, various technological tools have emerged. Video conferencing tools like Zoom and Google Meet enable virtual face-to-face interaction, while project management tools like Asana and Trello help keep track of tasks. Moreover, cloud-based services allow for real-time collaboration and data sharing.

As we move forward, it’s clear that working from home is here to stay, at least in some capacity. Companies are increasingly recognizing the benefits of a flexible work model, both in terms of productivity and employee satisfaction. However, to make it sustainable, it’s crucial to address the challenges associated with it.

In conclusion, working from home represents a significant shift in the way we perceive work. It brings with it numerous benefits, but also challenges that need to be addressed. As technology continues to evolve, it’s likely we’ll see even more tools and strategies to make remote work efficient and enjoyable.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on Smart Work
• Essay on First Day at Work
• Essay on International Finance

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Happy studying!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• IELTS Scores
• Life Skills Test
• Find a Test Centre
• Alternatives to IELTS
• General Training
• Academic Word List
• Topic Vocabulary
• Collocation
• Phrasal Verbs
• Writing eBooks
• Reading eBook
• All eBooks & Courses

Working from Home

Working From Home Essays

Click here to post comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to IELTS Essay Feedback Forum .

Flexibility of Working from Home

Many employers are now offering their employees the option to work from home. As a result, employees will have much more flexible working hours in the future. Is this a positive or negative development? It is well known that many employers are offering their employees to work from home. Due to this, workers will have more flexibility and changes in working hours as well as the way of working, in upcoming days. This option is having both pros and cons. Let us discuss the same in the following essay. Firstly, it is widely accepted that working from home will give opportunity to the employees to balance work and life equally. For instance, employees can save travel time and that helps to spend more time with their family. And also, as per the experimental research, maintaining a good work-life balance will positively affects the employee's productivity. Secondly, the work from home option is having the negative side too. Employees without the proper work setup like, internet connection and separate work place, might give low result comparing to office workers. To illustrate this, in office, employee's will be given a good work environment and infrastructure. But, in home, most of the employees will never get those opportunities which will negatively affect the employee's outcome. On the other hand, it will also affect the company's confidentiality, because in home with unsecured internet connection it is very difficult to protect the company's important informations, which is a major threat to the company. In colclusion, in spite of the fact that work from home is having many positive outcomes, it is also having more negative effects in terms of unfavorable work environment, facilities and security threats. The disadvantages are outweigh the advantages so, I am convinced that working in office is the best way than operation from home.

Working and Studying From Home Essay

by Francesca (VietNam)

Around the world, many adults are working from home, and more children are beginning to study from home because technology has become cheaper and more accessible. Do you think this is a positive or negative development? Can't dispute the fact that in today's world, the International Networking has enabled everyone to a more active environment, and by everyone I mean literally everyone from all works of life, from the young to the elderly. And globally, grownups are starting bring work from the office to home, children are studying from home via diverse online teaching platforms, one particular reason for this is that technology is inexpensive and easy to approach. In my opinion, this is a positive development because working or studying from home save us from a great deal of harassment. On one hand, utilizing the power of technology to create a professional workplace at home, or an effective study environment is the ultimate as It benefits us a lot. Imagine having to wake up at 6am to get ready for work everyday and wasting a ton of time to get to the workplace. With the help of technology, we can just open the devices and start working instantly right at home. This helps saving your time and also teaching you an independent lifestyle, training you to be proactive and disciplined. On the other hand, study or work at home can be struggling. Since we can have access to many things hand in hand with the studying or working time, we can easily lose concentration on what we are supposed to be working on. For example, while studying at home, you will get exhausted sometimes so you want to take a little break and that might leave you sleeping during online class. In conclusion, working or studying from home has both positive and detrimental aspects, but the positive one seems to prevail. That working or studying from home saves not only our energy but also our precious time, moreover, It teaches you to be a disciplined and independent person.

Click here to read or post comments

Before you go...

Check out the ielts buddy band 7+ ebooks & courses.

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

• Click on the HTML link code below.
• Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.

Band 7+ eBooks

"I think these eBooks are FANTASTIC!!! I know that's not academic language, but it's the truth!"

Linda, from Italy, Scored Band 7.5

IELTS Modules:

Other resources:.

• All Lessons
• Band Score Calculator
• Writing Feedback
• Speaking Feedback
• Teacher Resources
• Free Downloads
• Recent Essay Exam Questions
• Books for IELTS Prep
• Useful Links

Recent Articles

Paraphrasing in the IELTS Test: Speaking and Writing

May 03, 24 10:26 AM

Fillers for IELTS Speaking: Avoid 'Eh', Uhm', 'You know'.

Apr 27, 24 05:48 AM

Decreasing House Sizes Essay

Apr 06, 24 10:22 AM

Important pages

IELTS Writing IELTS Speaking IELTS Listening   IELTS Reading All Lessons Vocabulary Academic Task 1 Academic Task 2 Practice Tests

Connect with us

Copyright © 2022- IELTSbuddy All Rights Reserved

IELTS is a registered trademark of University of Cambridge, the British Council, and IDP Education Australia. This site and its owners are not affiliated, approved or endorsed by the University of Cambridge ESOL, the British Council, and IDP Education Australia.

Working From Home Essay Example

The benefits of working from opens up a new range of possibilities for the way businesses can work and structure themselves. With the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, home working has given some employers the flexibility they need to continue their business operations while prioritizing staff and customer health and wellbeing as part of their public health responsibility. Also, before the coronavirus pandemic, working from home was on the increase as many employers identified the benefits that it can bring to their business and the improved work-life balance for their employees.

When working from home, one gets to enjoy many benefits, more flexibility and eliminates commute with the risk of being infected. It will reduce fuel and traveling expenses. Working from home can make it easier for employees to create a better work-life balance and take care of their health. It eliminates most of the traditional aspects of going to work, dressing in business attire, while reducing social interaction and standard means of accountability. Depending on your preferred work style and culture priorities, it could either be positive for you or negative. Since remote work tends to be more flexible, employees can better manage their personal time in the event that they have an appointment or to take care of families. 

Individuals who work from home encounter fewer social distractions from coworkers, which can lead to improved productivity in the workplace. Additionally, it takes you away from any work politics, sometimes it becomes difficult to cut yourself from any embarrassing moment, and you having to choose between your co-workers and your boss. When you are working from home, you cut yourself from all the unnecessary things that waste your time, like attending meetings or taking breaks frequently or indulging yourself in gossips. When you do the task in your home, it creates a sense of responsibility as you are far away from your workplace and work desk, which inculcates in yourself a sense of authority as well as responsibility. 

Employees also have the opportunity to balance time, which can help them return to their work feeling more energized and motivated. You can also communicate with fellow coworkers and family members without having fear of being infected. This will increase your productivity while keeping your interest at a maximum level. You can even take breaks at your leisure. However, this requires self-discipline and motivation enough to manage time responsibly and complete job with effectiveness and efficiency. 

During the pandemic it’s a challenging time for all of us. COVID-19 has brought uncertainty and disruption to every business and has led to a lot of abrupt changes to how we get our jobs done. Employees utilize their telecommuting skills which often requires using technical applications, such as online meeting, communication and team collaboration platforms. You are able to develop technical skills that you may not typically use in a physical workplace. There has to be consistent communication between teams and managers, which likely requires more emails, phone calls, video calls and chats in messaging platforms. To ensure the business stay afloat more and more employees hosting virtual events to stay connected with one another in a face-to-face way, even if it’s mediated through a screen which could be Zoom, Skype and WhatsApp, Google Hangouts and some are even free to use. Some requires internet connections.  

With the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic being the primary topic on the news and concerns increasing over the economic impact of government shutdowns some persons have trouble maintaining a positive state of mind. However, maintaining a positive attitude can help better support your fellow coworkers to make rational, proactive decisions to handle the weeks and months of changes the pandemic comes with. A positive attitude improves your ability to solve problems, make decisions, use creative thinking and judge objectively. Having your positive state of mind can help you and your team identify the best technology platform to keep productivity at a high level working from home.

Related Samples

• Personality Changes Throughout Lifespan Essay Example
• Should Men Take Paternity Leave Essay Example
• Personal Essay Example: How Covid19 Changed My Life
• Goal of my Life Essay Example
• Finding Peace in The Present Essay Sample
• The Pay Gap Between Men and Women Over a Lifetime
• Essay On Significance Of Independence In My Life
• Reflective Essay about Fixed and Variable Costs
• Future Dream Reflective Essay Sample
• Essay Sample about Magic Tricks

Didn't find the perfect sample?

You can order a custom paper by our expert writers

Pros and Cons of Working From Home

Be aware of the benefits and drawbacks of working from home when considering your ideal work environment.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, working from home may have seemed like a perk that only freelancers got to do. Now, many more full-time employees have experienced working remotely or in a hybrid role.

Getty Images

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the pandemic has resulted in over one-third of companies across a wide range of industries increasing telework for some or all of their employees. The BLS also reports that around 60% of the organizations that expanded their telework options are planning to keep them indefinitely.

If you recently joined the ranks of virtual staff, your visions of the remote working life may have been dashed by reality. Working from home may sound like an ideal situation, if you've imagined simply rolling out of bed and arriving at your home office in moments, without the hassles of first making yourself presentable and then commuting to a workplace with a boss and colleagues who may drive you crazy .

In reality, though, just like working in an office, remote work comes with pros and cons. The following pros and cons list emerged after conducting informal interviews with more than 100 people with remote jobs. Read on for some positive aspects of telecommuting and the challenges that come with a work-from-home lifestyle.

Benefits of Working From Home

Pro: more flexibility to take care of appointments and errands. .

• Pro: Fewer interruptions from meetings and chitchat.
• Pro: No commute time or expense. 
• Pro: More time spent with family.

Pro: You can often do your work when you're most productive.

Pro: you can get more done., pro: you can save money on your work wardrobe., pro: the ability to live where you want to..

One of the hardest things about committing to a 9-to-5 desk job is that it prevents you from being able to handle almost anything else that comes up in your life, whether attending a routine dentist appointment or picking a sick kid up from school. When you work from home, while you still have to meet your deadlines and be available when you say you will be, you generally have wider bandwidth to tend to other responsibilities without jeopardizing your job.

Pro: There are fewer interruptions from meetings and chitchat.

It's easier to get into a deep state of focused work when you're in your home office without colleagues dropping by and sitting down impromptu to talk about their weekends. Limiting unnecessary interruptions from your colleagues and boss is a big plus of working from home and is one reason many remote workers are often more productive than office-based workers. While you may need to dial in for specific meetings, you'll likely get a break from attending several others – many of which may be unnecessary to your role – that confront staff workers daily.

Pro: There is no commute time or expense. 

You can save a lot of money and avoid wasting hours spent getting to and from work when your office is right down the hall. Avoiding traffic battles tops the list of benefits for some of those who work from home. Many remote workers also mentioned saving money by eschewing a pricey professional wardrobe unless they meet with clients.

Pro: More time spent with family. 

Office workers must kiss their loved ones goodbye each morning when heading off to work; not so for virtual workers, who can work side by side with a work-from-home spouse or with kids who are learning in a digital classroom . By doing away with the commute time, there is more time to be spent with loved ones.

When you work in an office, your schedule is rarely your own. Between the aforementioned interruptions from colleagues and meetings, plus your boss hovering nearby with agenda items and to-dos, accomplishing your focus work may be a "catch as catch can" situation, grabbing time to think and compose important reports and communications between events that others have imposed.

It's still always essential when working from home to be mindful of your team's needs and be available to dial in for virtual meetings. But remote employees generally have greater latitude to select their time of peak productivity to do their most important work and – depending on who else is working at home with them – have more quiet time to hone in on tasks that require concentration.

A number of recent studies have confirmed the growing body of research that prove working from home can help you be more productive than you can in an office, with stats showing productivity increases of up to 77%. It makes sense when you consider the above points that you have fewer interruptions and can work when you’re at your best while working remotely.

In addition to saving drive time and gas expenses, the work-from-home crowd can generally save on clothing costs as well. While you may need to have professional garb at the ready for video calls (at least for your top half on camera), most who work from home have more freedom to wear what they want while they work.

While some employers have restrictions about where you can live as a remote employee and may change your pay according to the area you reside in, a huge perk of the remote life is the ability to choose your location without needing to worry about a daily commute. Even if you’re in a hybrid role or need to make occasional visits to the office for meetings, if you don’t need to drive in each day, you have a wider range of possible places to settle besides right near the office.

Cons of Working From Home

Con: no physical separation between work and leisure time. .

• Con: Easy to misread cues via electronic communications. 

Con: You have to make the effort to get a change of scenery. 

• Con: Less in-person contact with co-workers.

Con: You are not on-site for in-office perks.

Con: you have to be more self-motivated., con: some bosses may be biased against those who aren’t in the office..

Many who work from home lamented that they often find themselves working around the clock, since their labor has no definite start or end times; those lines can often be blurred. As a result, they sometimes feel as if they are always at work, making it difficult to shift to the post-work relaxation mode that many office workers take for granted.

The absence of an obvious division between the personal and professional realms means some remote workers get distracted by housework. Setting boundaries and sticking to them is important when you're working from home.

Con: It's easy to misread cues via electronic communications. 

While few who work from home expressed feeling "lonely," as is typically assumed, many did point to the difficulty of getting the tone right through digital communication systems, such as email, chat, social media and text. Without body language, facial expressions and other cues, remote employees have to put in extra effort to maintain positive communications.

What can be a blessing can also become a curse in the form of cabin fever. Some freelancers and others who work from home lamented that where they work during the day is the exact same place where they'll be sitting later that evening; getting involved in their work often translates to spending a huge portion of the day indoors. Pre-pandemic, many stressed the importance of scheduling lunches and other meetings to keep them in the mix and avoid the rut of never leaving the house.

Con: There is less in-person contact with co-workers.

While you may have more time with loved ones when working from a home office, the flipside is less opportunity for face time (minus a screen) with people at your company. If your co-workers drive you crazy, then reduced time on-site might be a perk for you. But if you enjoy office-based camaraderie and like to be able to socialize with your team in person, then the remote life might make you miserable.

You can't swing by the break room and grab a doughnut or hit the company gym if you're working from home. This may be more of a disadvantage for workers in industries such as tech, with impressive on-site offerings like game rooms and chef-made food among their company benefits. If there's a perk you like about being in the office, then working from home may make you miss it.

If you’re the type of person who procrastinates working unless a boss is breathing down your neck, then you might find yourself underperforming in a work-from-home role. Remote workers have to motivate themselves to get the job done, which puts more onus on people working from home to manage their time wisely to complete their projects, instead of having someone else setting the timelines and spurring them along.

A study by researchers at the University of California at Davis and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found that “face time” – the amount of time that you’re seen at work either within normal business hours or outside of them – can affect how your boss and others perceive you at work. If you’re not in the office and others are, some managers may be either intentionally or unintentionally biased against you. You may find that your contributions aren’t noticed or appreciated as much by your team and may feel compelled to make extra efforts to keep on everyone’s radar screen.

Weighing the pros and cons of working from home has become even more important in the wake of the pandemic, since many companies are now giving their employees the option to not come back into the office. If you are given the choice to consider working from home permanently, be sure to think through each of the pros and cons of working from home to land on a solution that matches your priorities. Remote work has clear benefits, but no situation is perfect. Understanding the reasons to work from home – as well as the reasons not to – can go a long way in learning how to work from home successfully .

Most Stressful Jobs

Tags: careers , work-life balance , Company Culture , money , personal finance

About On Careers

Our expert contributors give their best advice on answering common interview questions, perfecting job applications, negotiating salary and more.

Find savvy job advice from the brains behind top careers blogs and websites, including Robin Madell, Robin Reshwan and Hallie Crawford.

RECOMMENDED

Subscribe to our daily newsletter to get investing advice, rankings and stock market news.

See a newsletter example .

You May Also Like

20 best stem careers.

Jamela Adam April 30, 2024

5 Trends Workers Hate 

Robin Madell April 29, 2024

Find a Job in the Age of AI

Angie Kamath April 25, 2024

Red Flags to Leave Off Your Resume

Robin Reshwan April 25, 2024

Is Capital Goods a Good Career Path?

Jamela Adam April 25, 2024

Will AI Steal My Job?

Robin Madell April 23, 2024

Is Consumer Services a Good Career Path?

Jamela Adam April 18, 2024

13 Signs You May Be Facing a Tech Layoff

Jamela Adam and Janica Ingram April 11, 2024

Why You Feel Disengaged at Work

Robin Madell April 8, 2024

9 Sites for Legit Remote Jobs

Robin Madell April 3, 2024

7 Best Technology Jobs in the U.S.

Jamela Adam March 26, 2024

What Are Soft Skills?

Hallie Crawford March 25, 2024

11 Best High-Paying Business Jobs

Jamela Adam March 21, 2024

8 Best Finance Jobs to Pursue

Jamela Adam March 19, 2024

14 High-Paying, No-Degree Jobs

Jamela Adam March 14, 2024

The 15 Best Jobs That Help People

Jamela Adam March 12, 2024

25 Jobs That Pay $80K or More

Jamela Adam March 7, 2024

16 Best Jobs for High School Graduates

Jamela Adam Feb. 29, 2024

15 Best Jobs You've Never Heard Of

Jamela Adam Feb. 27, 2024

What Is the 'Act Your Wage?'

Robin Madell Feb. 23, 2024

Home — Essay Samples — Life — Workplace — Working from Home vs. Working in an Office

Working from Home Vs. Working in an Office

• Categories: Workplace

About this sample

Words: 860 |

Published: Sep 7, 2023

Words: 860 | Pages: 2 | 5 min read

Table of contents

Productivity: working from home vs. working in an office, work-life balance and distractions, communication and collaboration, health and well-being, personal and professional life.

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Verified writer

• Expert in: Life

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

2 pages / 1099 words

5 pages / 2343 words

3 pages / 1458 words

4 pages / 1642 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Workplace

To discuss the importance of diversity and inclusion this essay will first define these two concepts. Firstly, diversity is a concept that considers the many ways we are alike while respecting the ways we are different. When we [...]

Working from home, a concept that has gained prominence in recent years, has both its proponents and critics. In this essay, we will explore the advantages of working from home and how they can contribute to a better work-life [...]

For decades, women have fought for equal rights and treatment in various spheres, including employment. Sadly, despite the progress made towards attaining gender equality, workplace discrimination still persists. Gender-based [...]

The modern workplace is a complex and dynamic environment, characterized by a multitude of organizational constraints that can impact the performance and success of individuals and teams. These constraints can arise from various [...]

If you love four-legged animals, then you know how hard it is to leave them behind when you’re heading out the door to go to work. They cry as you get in your vehicle and watch you drive away until they can’t see you anymore. [...]

Communication is the strongest medium through which we can either build our connections with people or ruin it by creating misunderstandings. Hence to make our communication more effective we should make sure that we reduce [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

• SUGGESTED TOPICS
• The Magazine
• Newsletters
• Managing Yourself
• Managing Teams
• Work-life Balance
• The Big Idea
• Data & Visuals
• Reading Lists
• Case Selections
• HBR Learning
• Topic Feeds
• Account Settings
• Email Preferences

How to Convince Your Boss to Let You Work from Home

• Rebecca Knight

Use empirical evidence to make your case.

If you’re commuting to an office everyday but would like to work from home on a regular basis, how can you convince your boss to let you do so? Here are some ways to state your case. Imagine how your boss will hear your proposal. Before broaching the subject, consider what your manager will be fearful of, and then think of ways to preempt those concerns. Be flexible. Cite empirical evidence. A growing body of research suggests that working from home increases productivity, efficiency, and engagement. It makes a compelling argument. Be willing to experiment. Suggest a three- or six-month trial period. A pilot is a low-risk way to see this kind of arrangement is doable. If your request is denied, be constructive. Talk to HR about implementing a new workplace policy, or form a small group of colleagues to investigate how other organizations successfully handle remote workers.

More and more people are working remotely, and many say it improves their productivity and satisfaction — while also saving them time and money. If you’re commuting to an office every day but would like to work elsewhere on a weekly basis, how can you convince your boss to let you do so? What arguments or evidence should you use? And what factors will increase your chances of securing a regular work-at-home schedule?

• RK Rebecca Knight is a journalist who writes about all things related to the changing nature of careers and the workplace. Her essays and reported stories have been featured in The Boston Globe, Business Insider, The New York Times, BBC, and The Christian Science Monitor. She was shortlisted as a Reuters Institute Fellow at Oxford University in 2023. Earlier in her career, she spent a decade as an editor and reporter at the Financial Times in New York, London, and Boston.

Partner Center

• Practice Test
• Useful Tips – Tricks
• Full Writing Review
• General Writing Task
• Writing Task 1
• Writing Task 2
• Writing Exercises
• Writing Sample – Topics
• Writing Vocabulary
• Speaking Vocabulary
• Intro Question
• Speaking Part 1
• Speaking Part 2
• Speaking Part 2 – Audio
• Speaking Part 3
• IELTS Books
• Recent Exams
• IELTS Vocabulary
• Essay from Examiners
• IELTS Ideas

Sample Answer

The advent of modern technology has facilitated a shift in work dynamics, allowing many employees to perform their duties from the comfort of their homes. I firmly believe that this change is mutually beneficial for both employees and employers.

For employees, the primary benefit is the flexibility and work-life balance that remote work offers. The elimination of daily commutes not only saves time but also reduces stress, allowing employees to start their workday in a more relaxed state. This flexibility often results in higher productivity and job satisfaction. For instance, a study by Stanford University found that remote workers were 13% more efficient than their in-office counterparts. Furthermore, working from home can lead to a healthier lifestyle, as individuals have more time to prepare nutritious meals and engage in physical activities.

Employers, on the other hand, also reap substantial benefits from this arrangement. One significant advantage is the reduction in overhead costs. With fewer employees in the office, there is a decreased need for large office spaces, which translates to lower rent and utility expenses. Moreover, by embracing remote work, companies can access a wider talent pool, no longer limited by geographical constraints. This can lead to the recruitment of more skilled and diverse employees, enhancing the overall quality of the workforce. Additionally, employers often notice an uptick in employee retention, as the flexibility of remote work is a highly valued perk that encourages staff to stay with the company.

In conclusion, the shift towards remote working facilitated by modern technology is a win-win situation, benefitting both employees and employers. Employees enjoy greater flexibility and a better work-life balance, leading to enhanced productivity and well-being, while employers benefit from reduced costs, access to a broader talent pool, and improved employee retention.

Word count: 293

• writing task 2

LATEST POSTS

Writing task 2: governments – environmental, writing task 2: topic education, writing task 2: problem and solution.

IELTS App - For Mobile

Ready for the IELTS exam with our IELTS app. Over 2 million downloads

Popular Last 24h

Ielts listening actual test with answers – test 3, ielts speaking part 1: topic film/movie, bar chart #61: the population aged 65 and over of three countries in 1980 and 2000 and prediction in 2030, sample ielts writing task 1: map, table #8 : the information and predictions regarding the change in percentage of population aged 65 and above in three countries, ielts speaking part 1: animals, 11 common slang words – ielts speaking.

• IELTS Test/Skills FAQs
• IELTS Scoring in Detail
• Forecast Speaking – 2023
• List IELTS Speaking Part 3
• List IELTS Speaking Part 1
• IELTS Writing 2023 – Actual Test

Our Telegram

Join our community for IELTS preparation and share and download materials.

The information on this site is for informational purposes only. IELTS is a registered trademark of the University of Cambridge ESOL, the British Council, and IDP Education Australia. This site and its owners are not affiliated, approved or endorsed by University of Cambridge ESOL, the British Council, or IDP Education Australia.

Latest Articles

Writing task 1: average number of hours students, writing task 1: internet use for different purposes in australia, ielts speaking part 3: topic teamwork, most popular, describe a film that made you laugh, describe a person whom you met for the first time and made you happy, topic: experience is the best teacher, describe something difficult you would like to succeed in doing, in many countries，today there are many highly qualified graduates without employment..

ieltspracticeonline All Rights Reserved

• General Reading
• Academic Reading
• IELTS Writing Task 2
• IELTS Writing Task 1

Essay#83 | Working From Home

Writing tip.

Be careful with punctuation. You must use a  comma  after the following words and phrases when they are used at the start of a sentence:  Also, Secondly, For example, On the other hand, Finally, However, In my opinion, Similarly, Furthermore, Unfortunately, To summarise, Therefore, To sum up, In conclusion , e.g.  In conclusion, I believe that while many workers welcome the opportunity to go out to work, others would find the chance to work from home very convenient.   NOT   In conclusion I believe that…

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Computers and modems have made it possible for office workers to do much of their work from home instead of working in offices every day. Working from home should be encouraged as it is good for workers and employers.

Do you agree or disagree?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

Model answer.

In recent years the vast expansion of information and communications technology has made teleworking much more practical. Although in many cases office workers could be made geographically independent by using modems, faxes and cell phones, few companies or employees take full advantage of this possibility.

There are a number of strong arguments in favor of allowing workers to work from home. Firstly costs for employers would be reduced  because  businesses would require less office space, which is often situated in the center of large cities.  Secondly , worker’s lives would be improved in a variety of ways.  For example , they would not need to travel to get to work, which would give them more free time.

Also , they could combine their work with their family life, which is a major advantage if they are parents of young children or they have old people to look after.  On the other hand , traveling to a centralized workplace also has a number of points in its favor.  The first is that  many employees would miss the social aspect of work  such as  seeing colleagues and meeting customers.  A further point is that  employers would need to be able to trust their workers to work at a high standard and finish their work on time,  since  supervising teleworkers is even more complicated than supervising workers in the same office.

Finally , working from home might inhibit teamwork and creative work and so perhaps so only really suitable for people doing routine office work.

In conclusion , I believe that  while  many workers welcome the opportunity to go out to work, others would find the chance to work from home very convenient. Where possible, I think workers should be offered the choice, but not forced to work from home unless they wish to.

(295 words)

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)

You May Like this

Table#8 | Worldwide Market Share of the Notebook Computer

The table below shows the worldwide market share of the notebook computer market for manufacturers in the years 2006 and 2007.

Table#7 | Teacher Training Qualifications

The table below shows the number of students living in the UK gaining English language teacher training qualifications in 2007/8 and 2008/9, and the proportion of male qualifiers.

Why Does Working from Home Vary Across Countries and People?

We use two surveys to assess why work from home (WFH) varies so much across countries and people. A measure of cultural individualism accounts for about one-third of the cross-country variation in WFH rates. Australia, Canada, the UK, and the US score highly on individualism and WFH rates, whereas Asian countries score low on both. Other factors such as cumulative lockdown stringency, population density, industry mix, and GDP per capita also matter, but they account for less of the variation. When looking across individual workers in the United States, we find that industry mix, population density and lockdown severity help account for current WFH rates, as does the partisan leaning of the county in which the worker resides. We conclude that multiple factors influence WFH rates, and technological feasibility is only one of them.

For the financial assistance that made it possible to conduct our Global Survey of Working Arrangements (G-SWA), we gratefully acknowledge the British Academy, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Asociación Mexicana de Cultura A.C., the Becker Friedman Institute at the University of Chicago, the ifo Institute, King’s College London, the Smith Richardson Foundation, and the Templeton World Charity Foundation. We thank Ralph De Haas for helpful comments. Views presented are those of the authors and not necessarily of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Bureau of Economic Research.

I own more than $5,000 in stock of Charles River Associates.

MARC RIS BibTeΧ

Download Citation Data

Working Groups

Mentioned in the news, more from nber.

In addition to working papers , the NBER disseminates affiliates’ latest findings through a range of free periodicals — the NBER Reporter , the NBER Digest , the Bulletin on Retirement and Disability , the Bulletin on Health , and the Bulletin on Entrepreneurship  — as well as online conference reports , video lectures , and interviews .

More From Forbes

Work from home, reimagined.

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Linkedin

Michael H. Zaransky is Founder and Managing Principal of MZ Capital Partners , an award-winning multifamily investment and development firm.

In lower Manhattan’s Seaport District, a 24-story office building at 160 Water Street stood for 50 years as a pillar of New York’s financial scene. Today, after a complete reimagining, the building is home to Pearl House, a composition of urban living’s future. In addition to nearly 600 apartments, Pearl House features a resort-worthy list of amenities.

As Lux Exposé writes . “Today’s discerning residents demand more from their living spaces, seeking environments that seamlessly blend productivity and style. Enter the era of snazzy coworking spaces – sleek, chic, and meticulously designed to cater to the needs of the modern professional.”

This is work-from-home, reimagined for a future when perhaps more than half the workforce will work outside the office. According to a National Bureau of Economic Research paper, about half of the U.S. workforce “worked remotely at least one day a week” in December 2020. The World Economic Forum projects more than 90 million global jobs will be remote by 2030 .

But people still need places to work, and home isn’t always the best solution. Tomorrow’s workplace will exist outside the home and office to fit changing lifestyles. Multifamily real estate is changing with them. The Pearl House’s coworking solution is among the most popular new amenities of multifamily real estate, where renters are driving demand for places to work where they live.

New FBI Warning As Hackers Strike Email Senders Must Do This 1 Thing

2 obvious signs of workplace gaslighting from a psychologist, baby reindeer real martha reveals identity in photo with piers morgan, why coworking matters to multifamily real estate.

Coworking space is an amenity in multifamily real estate like fitness centers, pools and dog parks. Renters are emphasizing co- and community workspaces as their work habits change. Not every “modern professional” needs the “snazzy coworking spaces” that Pearl House provides when an internet connection, power source and quiet space will suffice. Still, a place to work outside the home remains important.

For many professionals, a workspace is more important than a workplace. Remember when some hotel chains removed desks from their rooms in the mid-2010s? Even Millennial road warriors objected to losing a workspace, and the desks returned . Those who can work from anywhere still want a functioning space that’s quiet and well-lit and isn’t a chain coffeehouse. Multifamily real estate operators can attract and retain renters by providing such spaces.

As secure, 24/7 package-access rooms have become a top-ranked apartment amenity , coworking spaces are drawing more attention from renters. Phyllis Hartman, president of the Hartman Design Group, told Multi-Housing News that one project includes a coworking space in which “every nook and cranny is being designed as a work pod.”

In these settings, professionals can access private workspaces and collaboration rooms to meet their changing needs. Going to work means going downstairs instead of downtown. That’s the appeal.

Converting Office Space To Living Space With Work In Mind

A transformation is coming to American downtowns in 2024. Developers are converting vacant office space into multifamily housing at a record pace. According to RentCafe, more than 55,000 new apartments will bloom this year from the studs of unused offices. That continues a four-year trend, during which office conversion has become the primary option in urban multifamily development. RentCafe noted that office conversions represent 38% of forthcoming repurposing projects in multifamily housing.

The solution delivers progress on multiple levels. Expensive, unused office buildings come alive again with remote-working renters who want to remain in cities. Those cities refresh their tax bases and regain their heartbeat. New York City alone has more than 100 million square feet of vacant office space, according to the 5BORO Institute, which devised a model for flexible co-living . Coworking spaces are central to these transformations and don’t require huge CapEx.

Buildings already fitted with offices, meeting rooms and even restrooms can be easily repurposed with smaller coworking spaces. Designers could designate one or more floors, or even space on a floor in smaller buildings, as residential coworking space. Cities across the U.S. are taking these steps, as Washington, D.C., New York, Philadelphia, Dallas and Kansas City all show significant year-over-year conversion gains .

How To Make Coworking Spaces Work In Multifamily

Not every conversion is a Pearl House or urban redevelopment. As RealPage noted, 85% of U.S. apartments are located in the suburbs . Those renters also want coworking spaces. Multifamily operators should invest in retrofitting existing spaces or building new ones to meet these coworking needs.

Coworking spaces must offer standard amenities. High-speed internet access is a priority amenity among young renters. Smart Wi-Fi options that manage community-wide access offer in-home and coworking solutions. PropTech to manage 24/7 access to coworking spaces gives renters more security over their surroundings. Proper lighting, printers, scanners and other supplies supplement these coworking environments.

Further, remote workers want spaces that provide quiet locations for video calls and open spaces for collaboration and connection. Several companies market soundproof “pods” for making calls or simply focusing on work. Privacy pods and open space combine to form a dynamic and adjustable space.

In multifamily developments with limited public space, operators might consider converting the rental office into a cross-purpose space with coworking and community options. That also could appeal to prospective renters, whose first view of a property is communal rather than transactional.

“All of our new developments and repositioning projects are to have a significant coworking aspect,” Hartman told Multi-Housing News . “I don’t think it matters whether they are urban or suburban.”

Multifamily operators should take note. In multifamily real estate, rent growth and renewals stimulate success. Coworking spaces, either in new designs or as part of renovations, are becoming fundamental to that success.

Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions

• Share full article

Opinion Guest Essay

This Is Peak College Admissions Insanity

Credit... Illustrations by Pete Gamlen

Supported by

By Daniel Currell

Mr. Currell, a lawyer and consultant, was a deputy under secretary and senior adviser at the Department of Education from 2018 to 2021. He is a trustee of Gustavus Adolphus College.

• May 1, 2024

Selective college admissions have been a vortex of anxiety and stress for what seems like forever, inducing panic in more top high school seniors each year. But the 2023-24 admissions season was not just an incremental increase in the frantic posturing and high-pressure guesswork that make this annual ritual seem like academic Hunger Games. This year was different. A number of factors — some widely discussed, some little noticed — combined to push the process into a new realm in which the old rules didn’t apply and even the gatekeepers seemed not to know what the new rules were.

It happened, as these things often do, first gradually and then all at once.

It started with a precipitous rise in the number of people clamoring to get in. The so-called Ivy-Plus schools — the eight members of the Ivy League plus M.I.T., Duke, Chicago and Stanford — collectively received about 175,000 applications in 2002. In 2022, the most recent year for which totals are available, they got more than 590,000, with only a few thousand more available spots.

The quality of the applicants has risen also. In 2002, the nation produced 134 perfect ACT scores ; in 2023 there were 2,542 . Over the same period, the United States — and beyond it, the world — welcomed a great many more families into the ranks of the wealthy, who are by far the most likely to attend an elite college. Something had to give.

The first cracks appeared around the rules that had long governed the process and kept it civilized, obligating colleges to operate on the same calendar and to give students time to consider all offers before committing. A legal challenge swept the rules away, freeing the most powerful schools to do pretty much whatever they wanted.

One clear result was a drastic escalation in the formerly niche admissions practice known as early decision.

Then Covid swept through, forcing colleges to let students apply without standardized test scores — which, as the university consultant Ben Kennedy says, “tripled the number of kids who said to themselves, ‘Hey, I’ve got a shot at admission there.’” More applications, more market power for the schools and, for the students, an ever smaller chance of getting in.

Last year, the Supreme Court’s historic decision ending race-based affirmative action left colleges scrambling for new ways to preserve diversity and students groping in the dark to figure out what schools wanted.

Finally, this year the whole financial aid system exploded into spectacular disarray. Now, a month after most schools sent out the final round of acceptances, many students still don’t have the information they need to determine if they can afford college. Some will delay attending, and some will forgo it entirely, an outcome that will have lasting implications for them and, down the line, for the economy as a whole.

These disparate changes had one crucial thing in common: Almost all of them strengthened the hand of highly selective colleges, allowing them to push applicants into more constricted choices with less information and less leverage. The result is that elite admissions offices, which have always tried to reduce the uncertainty in each new year’s decisions, are now using their market power to all but eliminate it. This means taking no chances in pursuit of a high yield, the status-bestowing percentage of admitted students who enroll. But low uncertainty for elite colleges means the opposite for applicants — especially if they can’t pay the full tuition rate.

Canh Oxelson, the executive director of college counseling at the Horace Mann School in New York, says: “This is as much uncertainty as we’ve ever seen. Affirmative action, the FAFSA debacle, test-optionality — it has shown itself in this one particular year. Colleges want certainty, and they are getting more. Families want certainty and they are getting less.”

In 2024, the only applicants who could be certain of an advantage were those whose parents had taken the wise precaution of being rich.

The Early Bird Gets the Dorm

For Ivy Wydler, an elite college seemed like an obvious destination, and many of her classmates at Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School in Washington, D.C., were headed along the same trajectory. After her sophomore year of high school, she took the ACT and got a perfect score — on her first try, a true rarity. Her grades were stellar. So she set her sights high, favoring “medium to big schools, and not too cold.”

Touring campuses, she was dazzled by how great and exciting it all seemed. Then she visited Duke, and something clicked. She applied in the binding early decision round.

It’s a consequential choice. Students can do so at only one college, and they have to promise to attend if accepted, before knowing what the school’s financial aid offer will be. That means there is at least a chance an applicant will be on the hook for the full cost, which at Duke is $86,886 for the 2024-25 year. Students couldn’t be legally compelled to attend if they couldn’t afford it, but by the time they got the news, they would have already had to withdraw their other applications.

If full tuition isn’t a deal killer, as it wouldn’t be for Ivy’s family, the rewards are considerable. This year, just over 54,000 high school seniors vied to be one of only 1,750 members of Duke’s incoming class. The 6,000 who applied in the early decision round were three times as likely to get in as the 48,000 who applied later.

Until recently, early decision was a narrow pathway — an outlier governed, like the rest of this annual academic mating season, by a set of mandatory practices laid out by the National Association for College Admission Counseling, which is made up of college admissions officers and high school counselors. Those rules said, for example, that colleges couldn’t recruit a student who was already committed to another school or actively encourage someone to transfer. Crucially, the rules said that colleges needed to give students until May 1 to decide among offers (noting early decision, which begins and ends in the fall, as a “recognized exception”).

The Justice Department thought those rules ran afoul of the Sherman Antitrust Act, which bars powerful industries from colluding to restrain competition. At the end of 2019, NACAC agreed to a settlement mandating that the organization “promptly abolish” several of the rules and downgrade the rest to voluntary guidelines. Now, if they chose to, colleges had license to lure students with special offers or benefits, to aggressively poach students at other schools and to tear up the traditional admissions calendar.

At that point, nothing restrained colleges from going all in on early decision, a strategy that allows them to lock in students early without making any particular commitments about financial aid. Of the 735 first-year students that Middlebury College enrolled last year, for example, 516 were admitted via binding early decision. Some schools have a second round of early decision, and even what amounts to an unofficial third round — along with an array of other application pathways, each with its own terms and conditions.

With the rules now abandoned, colleges got a whole new bag of tricks. For example, a school might call — at any time in the process — with a one-time offer of admission if you can commit on the spot to attend and let go of all other prospects. Hesitate and it’s gone, along with your chances in subsequent rounds. “We hear about colleges that are putting pressure on high school seniors to send in a deposit sooner to get better courses or housing options,” says Sara Harberson, the founder of Application Nation, a college advising service.

To inform these maneuvers, colleges lean on consultants who analyze applicant demographics, qualifications, financial status and more, using econometric models. High school seniors think this is checkers, but the schools know it’s chess. This has all become terrifying for students, who are first-time players in a game their opponents invented.

Application season can be particularly intimidating for students who, unlike Ivy, did not grow up on the elite college conveyor belt. When Rania Khan, a senior in Gorton High School in Yonkers, N.Y., was in middle school, she and her mother spent two years in a shelter near Times Square. Since then she and her younger brother have been in the foster system. Despite these challenges, she has been a superb student. In ninth grade, Rania got an internship at Google and joined a research team at Regeneron, a biotechnology company. She won a national award for her study of how sewage treatment chemicals affect river ecosystems. Looking at colleges, she saw that her scores and credentials matched with those of students at the very top schools in the country.

One of the schools she was most drawn to was Barnard. “I like that it’s both a small college and” — because it’s part of Columbia — “a big university. There are a lot of resources, and it’s a positive environment for women,” she said. And it would keep her close to her little brother.

Barnard now fills around 60 percent of its incoming class in the early decision round, giving those students a massive admissions advantage. It would have been an obvious option for Rania, but she can’t take any chances financially. She applied via the general decision pool, when instead of having a one in three chance, her odds were one in 20.

Officially, anyone can apply for early decision. In practice it’s priority boarding for first-class passengers.

Unstandardized Testing

When selective colleges suspended the requirement for standardized testing, it didn’t really seem like a choice; because of the pandemic, a great many students simply couldn’t take the tests. The implications, however, went far beyond mere plague-year logistics.

The SAT was rolled out in 1926 as an objective measure of students’ ability, absent the cultural biases that had so strongly informed college admissions before then. It’s been the subject of debate almost ever since. In 1980, Ralph Nader published a study alleging that the standardized testing regimen actually reinforced racial and gender bias and favored people who could afford expensive test prep. Many educators have come back around to regarding the tests as a good predictor of academic success, but the matter is far from settled.

Remarkably, students still take the exams in the same numbers as before the pandemic, but far fewer disclose what they got. Cindy Zarzuela, an adviser with the nonprofit Yonkers Partners in Education who works with Rania and about 90 other students, said all her students took the SAT this year. None of them sent their scores to colleges.

These days, Cornell, for example, admits roughly 40 percent of its incoming class without a test score. At schools like the University of Wisconsin or the University of Connecticut , the percentage is even higher. In California, schools rarely accept scores at all, being in many cases not only test-optional, but also “test-blind.”

The high-water mark of test-optionality, however, was also its undoing.

Applicants tended to submit their scores only if they were above the school’s reported median, a pattern that causes that median to be recalibrated higher and higher each year. When Cornell went test-optional, its 25th percentile score on the math SAT jumped from 720 to 750. Then it went to 760. The ceiling is 800, so standardized tests had begun to morph from a system of gradients into a yes/no question: Did you get a perfect score? If not, don’t mention it.

The irony, however, was that in the search for a diverse student body, many elite colleges view strong-but-not-stellar test scores as proof that a student from an underprivileged background could do well despite lacking the advantages of the kids from big suburban high schools and fancy prep schools. Without those scores, it might be harder to make the case .

Multiply that across the board, and the result was that test-optional policies made admission to an elite school less likely for some diverse or disadvantaged applicants. Georgetown and M.I.T. were first to reinstate test score requirements, and so far this year Harvard, Yale, Brown, Caltech, Dartmouth and Cornell have announced that they will follow. There may be more to come.

The Power of No

On Dec. 14, Ivy got an answer from Duke: She was rejected.

She was in extremely good company. It’s been a while since top students could assume they’d get into top schools, but today they get rejected more often than not. It even happens at places like Northeastern, a school now ranked 53rd in the nation by U.S. News & World Report — and not long ago, more than 100 slots lower than that. It spends less per student on instruction than the Boston public schools .

“There’s no target school anymore and no safety school,” says Stef Mauler , a private admissions coach in Texas. “You have to have a strategy for every school you apply to.”

Northeastern was one of the 18 other schools Ivy applied to, carefully sifting through various deadlines and conditions, mapping out her strategy. With Duke out of the picture, her thoughts kept returning to one of them in particular: Dartmouth, her father’s alma mater. “My mom said, ‘Ivy, you love New Hampshire. Look at Dartmouth.’ She was right.” She had wanted to go someplace warm, but the idea of cold weather seemed to be bothering her less and less.

Meanwhile Rania watched as early decision day came and went, and thousands of high school seniors across the country got the best news of their lives. For Rania, it was just another Friday.

A Free Market in Financial Aid

In 2003, a consortium of about 20 elite colleges agreed to follow a shared formula for financial aid, to ensure that they were competing for students on the merits, not on mere dollars and cents. It sounds civilized, but pricing agreements are generally illegal for commercial ventures. (Imagine if car companies agreed not to underbid each other.) The colleges believed they were exempt from that prohibition, however, because they practiced “ need-blind ” admissions, meaning they don’t discriminate based on a student’s ability to pay.

In 2022, nine current and former students from an array of prestigious colleges filed a class-action antitrust lawsuit — later backed by the Justice Department — arguing that the consortium’s gentlemanly agreement was depriving applicants of the benefits of a free market. And to defang the defense, they produced a brilliant argument: No, these wealthy colleges didn’t discriminate against students who were poor, but they sure did discriminate in favor of students who were rich. They favored the children of alumni and devoted whole development offices to luring the kinds of ultrarich families that affix their names to shiny new buildings. It worked: Early this year, Brown, Columbia, Duke, Emory and Yale joined the University of Chicago in conceding , and paying out a nine-figure settlement. (They deny any wrongdoing.) Several other schools are playing on, but the consortium and its rules have evaporated.

This set schools free to undercut one another on price in order to get their preferred students. It also gave the schools a further incentive to push for early decision, when students don’t have the ability to compare offers.

For almost anyone seeking financial aid, from the most sought-after first-round pick to the kid who just slid under the wire, the first step remained the same: They had to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form, or FAFSA.

As anyone knows who’s been through it — or looked into the glassy eyes of someone else who has — applying for financial aid can be torture at the best of times. This year was the worst of times, because FAFSA was broken. The form, used by the government to determine who qualifies for federal grants or student loans, and by many colleges to determine their in-house financial aid, had gotten a much-needed overhaul. But the new version didn’t work , causing endless frustration for many families, and convincing many others not even to bother. At mid-April, finished FAFSA applications were down 29 percent compared with last year.

“The FAFSA catastrophe is bigger than people realize,” says Casey Sacks , a former U.S. Department of Education official and now the president of BridgeValley Community and Technical College in West Virginia, where 70 percent of students receive federal funds.

Abigail Garcia , Rania’s classmate and the 2024 valedictorian of their school, applied to in-state public colleges as well as Ivies. She couldn’t complete the FAFSA, however, because it rejected her parents’ information, the most common glitch. She has financial aid offers from elite schools, all of which use a private alternative to the government form, but she can’t weigh them against the public institutions, because they are so severely delayed.

For most students, 2024’s FAFSA crisis looks set to take the uncertainty that began last fall and drag it into the summer or beyond. “That’s going to reduce the work force in two to four years.” Ms. Sacks says. “FAFSA completions are a pretty good leading indicator of how many people will be able to start doing the kinds of jobs that are in highest demand — registered nurses, manufacturing engineers, those kinds of jobs.”

As the FAFSA problem rolls on, it could be that for the system as a whole, the worst is still to come.

Can Any of This Be Fixed?

On the numbers, elite college applicants’ problems are a footnote to the story of college access. The Ivy-Plus schools enroll less than 1 percent of America’s roughly 15 million undergraduates . If you expand the pool to include all colleges that are selective enough to accept less than a quarter of applicants, we’re still talking about only 6 percent of undergraduates. The easiest way to alleviate the traffic jam at the top is to shift our cultural focus toward the hundreds of schools that offer an excellent education but are not luxury brands.

Luxury brand schools, however, have real power. In 2023, 15 of 32 Rhodes scholars came from the Ivies, nine from Harvard alone. Twenty of this year’s 38 Supreme Court clerks came from Harvard or Yale. If elite colleges’ selection process is broken, what should we do to fix it?

Here’s what we can’t do: Let them go off and agree on their own solution. Antitrust law exists to prevent dominant players from setting their own rules to the detriment of consumers and competitors.

Here’s what we won’t do: Legislate national rules that govern admissions. Our systems are decentralized and it would take a miracle for Congress not to make things worse.

But here’s what we can do: Hold the schools accountable for their processes and their decisions.

Institutions that receive federal funds — which include all elite colleges — should be required to clearly state their admissions criteria. Admissions as currently practiced are designed to let schools whose budgets run on billions of taxpayers dollars do whatever they want. Consider Stanford’s guidance to applicants: “In a holistic review, we seek to understand how you, as a whole person, would grow, contribute and thrive at Stanford, and how Stanford would, in turn, be changed by you.” This perfectly encapsulates the current system, because it is meaningless.

Colleges should also not be allowed to make anyone decide whether to attend without knowing what it will actually cost, and they should not be allowed to offer better odds to those who forgo that information. They should not offer admissions pathways tilted to favor the rich, any more than they should offer pathways favoring people who are white.

It just shouldn’t be this hard. Really.

The Envelope Please …

Ivy has the highest academic qualifications available inside the conventional system, and her family can pay full tuition. Once upon a time, she would have had her pick of top colleges. Not this year.

Over the course of the whole crazy admissions season, the school she had come to care about most was Dartmouth.

Along with the other seven Ivies, Dartmouth released this year’s admissions decisions online on March 28, at 7 p.m. Eastern. Ivy was traveling that day, and as the moment approached, she said, “I was on the bed in my hotel room, just repeating, ‘People love me for who I am, not what I do. People love me for who I am, not what I do.’”

She was rejected by Duke, Vanderbilt, Stanford, Columbia and the University of Southern California, where Operation Varsity Blues shenanigans could once guarantee acceptance but, as Ivy discovered, a perfect score on the ACT will not. She landed on the wait list at Northeastern. She was accepted by Michigan and Johns Hopkins. And Ivy was accepted at both her parents’ alma maters: the University of Virginia and Dartmouth, where she will start in September.

For Rania, the star student with an extraordinary story of personal resilience, the news was not so good. At Barnard, she was remanded to the wait list. Last year only 4 percent of students in that position were eventually let in. N.Y.U. and the City University of New York’s medical college put her on the wait list, too.

A spot on a wait list tells applicants that they were good enough to get in. By the time Rania applied to these schools, there just wasn’t any room. “It was definitely a shock,” she said. “What was I missing? They just ran out of space — there are so many people trying to get into these places. It took two weeks to adjust to it.”

She did get lots of other good news, a sheaf of acceptances from schools like Fordham and the University at Albany. But then came the hardest question of all: How to pay for them? Some offered her a financial aid package that would leave her on the hook for more money than undergraduates are allowed to take out in federal student loans. Even now, some colleges haven’t been able to provide her with financial aid information at all.

Rania had all but settled on Hunter College, part of the City University system. It’s an excellent school, but a world away from the elite colleges she was thinking about when she started her search. Then at almost the last moment, Wesleyan came through with a full ride and even threw in some extra for expenses. Rania accepted, gratefully.

For Rania, the whole painful roller coaster of a year was over. For so many other high school seniors, the year of broken college admissions continues.

Daniel Currell, a lawyer and consultant, was a deputy under secretary and senior adviser at the Department of Education from 2018 to 2021. He is a trustee of Gustavus Adolphus College.

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

Follow the New York Times Opinion section on Facebook , Instagram , TikTok , WhatsApp , X and Threads .

Advertisement