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Article by: Gretel Mead
As a change towards hybrid work arrangements gain pace and an increasing number of employees opt to work from home, so has the need to equip your workspace. “We’ve seen a real shift towards quality office furniture including desks, chairs and storage” Wohlers Business Development & Marketing Manager, Mr Mark Battersby said. “The kitchen table office just isn’t cutting it anymore, with customers spending up to full time hours working from home.”
With the line of separation between work-life and home-life becoming increasingly blurry in many households, it is more important than ever to establish a space within your home dedicated to work. In an ideal world, this would mean a small room that can operate as an office, housing all the necessary equipment to work remotely whist also creating a clear boundary between the office and remainder of the home.
“You can create a professional and productive work environment within your own home,” Mr Battersby said. “And we are even seeing a shift from manufacturers to cater for this demand, with IMG Norway now offering their luxury recliners as an office chair.”
The working from home trend has also become visible through the housing market, with businesses such as Homburg Real Estate, noticing an increased demand for housing with room for home offices. “The reality is COVID allowed many people to work remotely and many of them are still doing so, therefore needing spaces where they can set up their offices,” Homburg Real Estate Principal, Mr Guy Draper said.
This demand is only going to grow, with a study undertaken by researchers at Swinburne University reiterating employees’ desires to scrap the full-time office working arrangement. The research revealed that 23 percent of office workers wanted to work remotely on a full-time basis, while 58 per cent preferred a hybrid system and just 19 per cent wanted to work in the office full time. Those findings, in conjunction with employees’ increased desire for more flexible work hours and a four-day working week, represents a large cultural shift that leaves the future of the typical ‘office’ job very uncertain.
– As Seen in The Leader Newspaper, Published 25th January 2023