Working from home has been an increasingly integral part of working life for many professionals over the past decade, but how has it evolved since the first personal computers hit the market in the late 1970’s?
Office technology has followed the pattern of mobile phones; once oversized, heavy and slow, they evolved throughout the early noughties to be small, portable and more efficient. You would once need a dedicated wing to house a PC, printer and fax machine only to then waste half the day waiting on dial-up internet and shared phonelines. Now many people can work from their kitchen table from a laptop small enough to fit into a child’s backpack and enjoy internet that’s fast enough to download documents, send e-mails and listen to a personally curated home-office playlist without a moment’s hesitation.
With technology facilitating the work from home movement there has been a shift in the demographic of people who chose to avoid the commute. The home office was once the domain of the professional man; now the option to work from home is a lifeline to many working mothers, a starting point for young entrepreneurs and a means to remain a vital part of the workforce for the semi-retired.
The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic has seen the nation work from home, many of whom perhaps wouldn’t have previously been given the opportunity. There has been the suggestion that working from home will remain in place and even become the new normal. Not only will this change the landscape of offices, it will also increase the need for a functional office space in many homes. As those who do work from home on a regular basis will attest, it is best to carve out a designated workspace to provide organisation and to ensure a work-life balance (it can be difficult to switch-off if your desk chair is also your armchair.) With space at a premium, especially in larger cities, people are having to get more creative with how they optimise the space they have available.
If you have the option to increase your home footprint the obvious choice is to build an extension or garden office. The garden office has been rising in popularity over recent years, providing a professional hub with all the comforts of home. These structures can be as sophisticated as required with full electrical and plumbing capabilities, many professionals find that a structure separate from the main home offers the best convenience without hampering focus.
There are numerous possibilities for creating a practical working space around the home when extensions aren’t possible; converting loft space or a garage are the best starting points. No matter how much or how little space you have to play with, there is solution.
Marrying home comfort with office functionality is a fine balance, not to mention the delicate matter of planning permission, at MG Commercial we have a wealth of experience in handling modifications to residential properties. Get in touch and let us take the stress out of working from home.
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