Back in February, the boss of Goldman Sachs said homeworking was ‘an aberration that must be corrected as soon as possible’.
But it seems he may not have been speaking for everyone – remote working is here to stay.
One of the most commonly included terms in new office job adverts is ‘hybrid working’ – meaning a combination of in office and remote.
And while most bankers might be grateful to be back in the square mile, many office workers now prefer to be at home some of the time.
According to the Office of National Statistics, 37 percent of adults worked from home at some point in 2020 – all adults, not just traditional office staffers.
And of those people, a significant 85 percent wanted to use a hybrid approach of home and office working going forward.
But if more workers want it, how can business owners be sure there’ll be no drop in productivity, collaboration and efficiency?
One way to convince your boss you’re serious about remote working is to make sure your home setup is as professional as your main office.
Dedicated workspace
For long-term remote working, you need a dedicated room, not just a cleared corner of the table.
And your furniture needs to be similarly ergonomically considered, not a borrowed breakfast bar stool.
Most importantly, your communication and technology setup needs to be as reliable as the main office.
A garden office pod could be the answer – particularly if you don’t have a spare or unused room in your home to transform permanently.
Clearer priorities
The ONS survey also noted the single greatest positive of homeworking was ‘work/life balance’ – but the greatest concern was ‘challenges to collaboration’.
By cutting the commute at either end of the day, a garden office opens up extra time for video conferencing and screen sharing.
And if someone knows they’re just 30 seconds away from seeing their kids, they may well be more open to working in evenings or weekends.
Remote working needn’t mean a reduction in output or commitment – it enables staff to truly prioritise what’s important, at home and work.
And with a garden office, the clear delineation between the two still exists, without the inconvenient distance and downtime.
Considering a garden office?
Remote working with a garden office pod isn’t just an investment in your career and productivity.
On average, garden offices are reported to add more value to a property than an equivalent sized extension, especially when accounting for costs and time taken.
To speak to a member of our helpful team or request a free quote, please get in touch.
