For the past few weeks, I had the opportunity to work from home as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. While it wasn’t an all-out telecommute since I’ve been back to the office most days, I did try it out for a couple of days and saw why such an arrangement has proven to be so divisive.

Under a split mode: Team A and Team B approach, both teams are scheduled to never cross paths to avoid a total wipeout in the event of a catastrophe. Teleconferencing may seem like a solution, but nothing comes close to the efficiency of face-to-face meetings.

On the flip side, telecommuting is a godsend for workaholics around the world. While skiving is a pertinent problem, many also end up spending a disproportionate amount of time on work as lines become blurred between work and personal time.

So whether flexi-work arrangements like this are a drag on productivity is still very much dependent on individual discipline. As for me, I’ve never really liked the idea of working in a fixed location. So as much as I love waking up late and working from the comforts of my sofa, it’s nicer to have a change of environment every now and then.