Home Working Post Covid-19

When we look back on this year, ‘2020’ and ‘Covid-19’ will be forever entwined. Like Bert & Ernie, Laurel & Hardy, and Farrow & Ball - it’ll be impossible to think of one without the other!

Many of us will remember it as a worrying and desperate time. Some will remember the emotional Thursday evening ritual of clapping outside our front doors for the NHS and carers. Others will remember it as the time when schools closed, and millions of people worked from home.

The kitchen – once the heart of the home – for some of us became the new classroom and office. For those with a spare bedroom or box room, new home offices were created. And surprise, surprise businesses didn’t go bust because employees weren’t clocking into the office every day.

Social media channels were full of tips and tools on how to successfully work from home. From working productively and communicating with your manager or the rest of your team, to staying motivated and the importance of switching off from work at the end of the business day/week.

What we learned

• Businesses that sent staff home realised that they really didn’t need to have their employees coming into the office every single day in the first place.
• Working from a shared space in your home that doubles as your office (i.e. the kitchen table, dining room) sends mixed signals to your family or flatmates (i.e. it wasn’t clear what was ‘office time’ and what was ‘home time’).
• Video calling from an ad-hoc home office was sometimes embarrassing, and often unprofessional looking.
• Seasoned remote workers vouched that creating a dedicated space in your home that’s well-equipped with the tools needed for work helped with self-discipline and switching off at the end of the day/week.

Glenlith Interiors has been designing and installing home offices for over a decade. Our installation team are all qualified cabinet makers and fitted furniture installers. Our designs are as aesthetically pleasing as they are functional.

We have created dedicated home offices as well as rooms that are multi-purpose – often to allow the option to accommodate a rare overnight guest. But in every install, we take the time to learn about the purpose of the room, your working style, and the décor and style of your home in general. This ensures the design of your new home office is befitting to your property and personal tastes.

Things to consider when creating your home office space.

Style

Both in terms of your working style and your personal taste in cabinetry and finishes – for example: traditional, modern, contemporary, minimalistic, cool, warm, and so on.

Desk

How much desktop space do you need? Do you need a corner, floating, bench, or standing desk? Must it have integrated storage?

Storage space

How much do you need, and what type? Do you need drop-in files, bookshelves, or both? Do you want your printer to be housed within a cabinet for a less-cluttered look?

Lighting

Will your home office have natural light? Do we want to position the desk to make the most of daylight, or do we need to avoid glare?

Electrics

What tech will you be using in your home office and where will it be positioned? Consider your laptop/computer, printer, phone charger, desk lamp, and so on.

Flooring

Depending on the nature of your work at home you may prefer carpet to the likes of engineered wood, laminate, or vinyl.

We, as an isolated family, are just about to go to our front door and clap for those super brave NHS workers (in fact ALL Key workers)... these are incredible times and the main thing is that you stay safe. See you all on the other side. <Mike>

Contact Glenlith Interiors to find out how we can create the perfect office solution in your home.