What working from home means for UK’s workforce
The COVID-19 pandemic has seen millions of UK employees working from home. Companies across the country have asked their staff to work remotely in order to minimise person to person contact and potentially save lives.
While for many businesses these changes will be temporary, some companies are set to make home-working a permanent part of their structure.
As a result, remote working is probably going to have an impact on how employees use their homes, with people willing to pay more to have the space and the location they need.
More people working from home
Before the lockdown, a large proportion of the UK workforce had never worked from home. Now, many people who have tried it can see just how beneficial remote working can be and many don’t want to go back to the office. According to @theHRDIRECTOR, “Once lockdown measures are fully lifted, 60% of people would like to work from home more often than they did previously (31% would not).”
Although a lot of these workers may not be able to stay home all of the time, it’s likely that more companies will offer flexible working and remote solutions.
Investment in home workspaces
In order to be productive and focused when working from home, it’s important to have a dedicated home office. If this isn’t possible, a de-cluttered, comfortable corner will also work well.
Employees working from home in the future are therefore likely to put more thought into their accommodation, choosing properties that provide spacious rooms and a relaxed environment.
It’s also likely that a lot of people will invest some of the money they save on commuting into their homes in order to create a good space to work in.
This might well mean renters are willing to take on more expensive tenancies and that homeowners prioritise properties with a home office.
Investing more in a home that’s easy and comfortable to work in will make remote working a lot easier.
Convenient locations
As well as investing more in the quality of accommodation, employees are likely to put more stock in the location of their home. This is because, while a lot more people are likely to work from home, many of these employees will still have to go into the office every now and then.
Living within easy reach of their place of work will allow employees to walk to the office or travel to work by bike. As well as being better for the environment and good for general health, getting to work under your own steam reduces the risk of catching COVID-19.
If you work in the Cambridge area and want to invest in the quality and location of your home, we can help. Explore our site or get in touch with a member of our team today.