Where to go when working from home is not possible

Changing advice

On Tuesday 22nd September the Prime Minister laid bare his new rules for England in a combat to fight the Coronavirus. This included the introduction of the new circuit breaker model giving the government the ability to apply extensive local measures to restrict the movements of people in certain areas. Their ability to legalise such methods quickly has created a period of uncertainty and left people feeling vulnerable.

The Office of National Statistics has stated that 62% of workers have returned to commuting up from 36% in May but the new message is now to work from home if you can. This is an over turn from July where the government was urging workers back to offices.

This new ruling will not affect the 38% who haven't returned to travelling to work but for those who have they now need to retract their efforts where possible. There are obvious job roles where this is not feasible such as construction and retail but this may also apply to office workers.

Reasons people are unable to work from home

Internet connection

Not everyone lives in an area where a stable Internet connection is possible and in a world of technology this can be disruptive and frustrating. In order to utilise file sharing and video conferencing services a strong, consistent connection is a must.

Lack of space

Not all homes are designed with the necessary space to conduct work functions. For those without a proper office set up sitting at the kitchen table or lounging on the sofa can only go on for so long before physical problems start to kick in.

Noise and disruption

Depending on personal circumstances loud noise and having other people in the house can be disruptive. Working from home with a screaming baby or children shouting in the background does not provide a conducive arena to be able to manage client or team calls.

Productivity

Whilst some people prefer to work from home others simply find it unappealing and difficult. Productivity issues include maintaining a routine, working random hours and lack of concentration. Not everyone has the ability to get on with tasks or self-manage their own time away from a traditional setting.

Collaboration

Teams that were used to collaborating during working hours are now expected to find suitable solutions using video conferencing. However, depending on the organisational structure there are only so many of these a person can handle. At times the whole team needs to be able to get together face to face to brainstorm and conduct meetings.

Office chatter

Office camaraderie is known to help workers increase productivity. Sitting amongst likeminded people whilst working on projects can promote ideas and enhance problem solving. It can also remove the feelings of isolation and loneliness experienced from working alone.

COVID secure places

The government has stressed that if working from home is not possible then planning to work at a COVID secure location is recommended. Businesses that remain open have the duty to comply with risk assessments as outlined by the HSE. This includes hand washing and keeping areas clean, maintaining the two-metre rule and capturing details for track and trace.

Many workers got a taste of extended home working during lockdown, giving them the opportunity and the time to transition into successful remote working. Following this period, it is predicted that when the pandemic is over not everyone will be running back to the office full time.

At Halcyon Offices we have realigned our strategy to include offering a daily rate for individuals who need to utilise professional office space on an adhoc basis. This pay as you go option enables our virtual clients to stay local and provides a place to escape from home. With no contracts and a first come first served basis our clients can utilise all our unique facilities at a cost they can realistically afford.

Conclusion

Commuting to an office is often seen as an adventure at first especially during the summer months. But come winter when the dark nights set in it soon becomes an exhausting way to start and end the day. Add in bad weather, the cost and the inconvenience of train strikes and commuting quickly turns into an expensive hassle.

Working from a serviced office creates a professional back drop enabling workers to operate without interruption whilst remaining locally in a secure and safe environment. It removes the daily frustrations of working from home increasing productivity and team collaboration whilst saving time and money.