OUMH1303

FACULTY OF EDUCATION AND LANGUAGE (FEL)

SEMESTER 3 / SEPTEMBER 2017

OUMH1303

ENGLISH FOR ORAL COMMUNICATION

NO. MATRIKULASI : 790724015611001

NO. KAD PENGNEALAN : 790724015611
NO. TELEFON : 010-4076369
E-MEL : smaiva@oum.edu.my

PUSAT PEMBELAJARAN : JOHOR LEARNING CENTRE

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Technology has changed the way we work. The advent of the internet and networking
solutions has made it possible for people to work from their home instead of their offices.
International investors often classify countries around the world based on their level
of economic development. These classifications are based on a number of economic and
social criteria, ranging from per capita income to life expectancy to literacy rates. As more
and more professionals seek a better work-life balance and more companies adopt flexible
policies to accommodate shifting workplace priorities and realities the working from home
option is becoming increasingly viable. Employees see this as an ideal means to remain in the
workforce and continue to be employed thereby maintaining all the tangible benefits of being
part of an established company, while enjoying all the advantages of being based at home.
Firstly, the advantages of working from home can save a lot of money which has
hidden cost of going to work. Such as transportation cost which cost very high with current
unstable price of fuel. Next, car wear and tear, toll, parking and others. However, married
people with child need to pay for their child care arrangement. Working from home can have
plenty of time with family, which the working hours are not fixed and flexible to the
individual. This can determine own working hours while take care children at home. Next,
co-workers banter and distractions, unnecessary interruptions, unimportant meetings can all
be avoided if people are safely at home and sealed off in own environment which can have
barricaded from any possible interruptions.
Furthermore, the stress of commuting in bumper-to-bumper traffic at rush hour in
many countries is extremely counterproductive and can lead to disgruntled workers who are
already exhausted and worn before they have even begun their day. This is especially true
where the workplace is far from the office. Other stresses often cited include unfriendly co-
workers, a suboptimal work environment and constant distractions. This often with long
commutes and anywhere from 1 to 3 hours a day spent getting to and from the workplace
both physical and mental health are adversely impacted; the former as the gym hours are
usually the first to go and the latter due to the stresses associated with both the commute and
the workplace itself.
By working at home the commuting time saved enables you to resume physical
exercise, to go for a long walk for example before and after work or to join a local gym. The
aspiration of the modern professional, is often achieved and tuned to satisfaction through a
working at home arrangement, particularly when a professional has the flexibility to report

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into the office and work from the office partially as an option and can fine-tune the
arrangement to achieve the most optimal balance.

Furthermore, the disadvantages of working from home is isolation. Professionals

working from home complain of isolation and loneliness given their removal from their
bosses and co-workers and this is can be very depressing to some. Since the workplace
provides a location to meet people and make friends for many, professionals working from
home have to be more creative and resourceful in getting to know people and in staying in
touch with their colleagues. Although office distractions are avoided by working at home,
different distractions may arise. Interruptions from children, work, neighbours, friends,
family may be very disruptive and special efforts must be made to make it known that you are
actually working and unavailable for interruption within work hours despite your physical
presence at home.

However, the temptation to engage in household matters since you are at home is
often very strong. Suddenly you may start feeling obliged to clean the home, do the shopping,
the childcare, the cooking, the home finances and the socializing all while meeting the full
requirements of the job too. It is essential to draw the line between home and work so as to
avoid both areas suffering. Due to this, there is no-one looking over your shoulder enforcing
strict hours you may feel tempted to work endlessly. This pressure to work endlessly may be
compounded by the fact that you feel there are greater expectations made of you as a home-
worker or by self-imposed pressures to prove yourself and your abilities in this arrangement.
Moreover the lack of physical separation between home and work may add to this pressure to
work endlessly. A lot can change from day to day in a company and people may find their
selves removed from important developments such as staff changes, new business, changes in
company direction, new competitive intelligence and others.

On the other hand, people need self-discipline to work from home. Working from
home is not for anyone. It takes a lot of dedication, self-control and discipline to motivate
yourself to persevere in working at home alone over the long run without succumbing to the
distractions and losing drive and momentum. Often a partial arrangement where you report
into the office once or twice a week is the optimal arrangement as it allows for close
interaction with colleagues and supervisors and ensures you remain in touch with company

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developments while still permitting you the comfort and convenience of working from home.
It is also, the danger of being overlooked for promotions and career development
opportunities is quite real when you are away from the office and other more visible
employees are actively and aggressively vying for them. An open line of communication with
management and regular visits to the office are critical in order to prove your dedication and
commitment to your career and to prevent the out-of-sight-out-of-mind syndrome.

In a nutshell, working out from home can be a great solution for certain people.
However, there are challenges to working from home too. There are both positives and
negatives of working this way. Although it provides freedom and reduced stress levels, it
often reduces productivity. Those who love interacting with individuals must go for the
regular office hour work, while those with some personal foundations must enjoy work from
home. In the future, we will certainly have more organizations taking this route

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APENDIX
Reference
The Pros and Cons of Working from Home. (n.d.). Retrieved November 02, 2017, from
https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/pros-cons-of-working-from-home

M. (2016, November 04). Advantages and disadvantages of working from home. Retrieved
November 02, 2017, from https://www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/content/advantages-and-
disadvantages-working-home

Working From Home # Essay For IELTS. (2015, October 13). Retrieved November 02, 2017,
from https://ieltsband7.com/ielts-essay-type/working-from-home-essay-for-ielts/

(2014, August 06). Retrieved November 02, 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=sc_Qp-9zxwM