Countries matter: Working from home or Working in Office?
Depending on which part of the world you are in.
Are you aware of the cultural differences between SEA (Southeast Asia & Western countries) countries when it comes to working from home VS working in office?
If you get a choice to choose between working from home/ working in office/ hybrid, it might matter depending on which part of the world you are in.
Western employees tend to socialize more in the office, engaging in conversations & discussions both professional and personal, thus indirectly reducing the time focused on completing actual work. Whilst majority of employees in SEA try to demonstrate hard work and capability by working hard in the office because their supervisors/bosses are looking.
On the contrary, Western employees working from home often feel distant because they lost the opportunity and space (office) to interact. SEA employees think they have more time & freedom on how and when they would like to work or discuss.
Most of my friends working in Malaysia firms (and some in Singapore) are required to go back to the office every day if not majority of the week. That should indicate what majority of SEA employers thinks about productivity working from home VS working in office.
There will be a group of individuals that are exceptions, as there always will be.
Nonetheless, a hybrid model with options is a more balanced method that brings about benefits such as better mental health and (quite possibly) better employee experiences.
What country are you in and what have you observed?
