With a laptop, broadband and improvements in communications generally, is there now any need to be in an office somewhere in the city? You might need to be with your colleagues occasionally (I’ll discuss this later) but on the whole, is it really necessary most of the time?

The advantages
You are flexible and the flexibility definitely contributes to a balanced existence providing you’re not a workaholic.
You save time because you don’t have to commute to work. In a city like London this means that you can save between 2 and 3 hours - every day! In that time you could learn a language, paint, spend time with the family, draw, garden, sing or simply slump in front of the TV. You could even do some work.
You save money because you’re not spending as much on all that travelling. Even allowing for the discount you obtain on a season ticket you’ll still save upwards of 50% on travelling costs. If you drive into a city you’ll save the petrol costs, parking costs and perhaps congestion charges.
You save more money because you don’t have to wear smart and appropriate clothing that’s more expensive than the jeans and sweatshirt you’d probably wear around the house. You also save money on food. Instead of eating out or buying a sandwich and drink that you eat in the office, you can go to the fridge. OK, these things sound small but you could probably save £100+ per month just on sandwiches.
Your productivity may well increase because you don’t have to cope with all the distractions that you encounter in the office. You can focus on what you’re doing. Of course, you need to be disciplined at home - no running out to pop the washing in the tumble dryer or attend to some other domestic chore. But there’s no doubt that you’ll do more work at home as long as you remain focussed.
You’re helping the environment because you’re using less energy and contributing less to pollution - especially if you drive to work.

The disadvantages
You can’t communicate as readily. A lot of communication is done through body language and overheard background comments. At home you don’t have this facility. Sometimes you need to brainstorm with colleagues and this is obviously best done in the office. You can’t brainstorm over the phone. At Fletcher Ward we find that we miss this!
You have no stimulation. Whilst your office colleagues can be a distraction, they also act as a stimulus to work and working at home for a long period of time can be draining without that stimulus.
It’s difficult to remain organised. Don’t ask me why! If there is one of you working at home alone, over a period of time our experience is that it becomes more and more difficult to keep everything organised. I’m sure you can but you do need to be aware of the no-organisation gremlin so that you can keep on top of it - it just seems harder than in the office environment.
You’re always in the office. Only a problem if you’re a workaholic. The answer is simple really, work as if you are in the office and work for a certain number of hours and then take a break. And stop at a given time.

Our conclusion is that working at home is a viable option providing you are equipped with the right software, are disciplined and not a workaholic. But you’ll still need to visit the office occasionally to get your fill of stimulation and for brainstorming sessions.