Garden Office – Hybrid Working The New Norm

A Garden Office is ideal for home working or hybrid working that form part of the ongoing revolution in working that has accelerated during COVID and is likely to increase in the future. For many Home Working is already a way of life and is likely to continue after the pandemic is history.

So what are the drivers for this trend?

Technology – software like Zoom and Teams etc. are now a standard part of the workday, opening up meetings to those working remotely. IT departments are able to support remote working online and provide access to the office system.

Change in the workforce make-up – with the average age increasing there will be more older workers, the demographic that is better suited to home working.

Increasing commuting times – an analysis by the Department for Transport forecasts ever-lengthening commute times, for many a heavy burden already.

Cost savings – whilst the employee will save on the commute cost it’s the companies that are making the biggest savings on expensive office space. Are you old enough to remember your own office, replaced with open plan working and now the move is to shared space, you don’t even get your own chair!

Even the HRMC have recognised home working and hybrid working, with a special allowance for those who work from home, full or part of the week (hybrid working). They also allow home office expenses to be claimed, however, some employers are quicker than others in recognising and accepting the home office costs as expenses.

So with more people working from home what is the impact on them and their well-being. There has been much research into the office working environment, but home working is a relatively new concept and not yet comprehensively analysed. What can we take from existing research?

The physical environment has been seen as a contributor to worker satisfaction and wellbeing. A healthy workplace is important to employee performance, the key factors identified are:

• Avoid hot and stuffy conditions
• Natural daylight is important (photo-biology)
• Good ventilation and the ability to control it
• Able to view nature
• Space, not overcrowded

The home office/work area may not deliver an environment that satisfies these criteria, however, a Garden Office or Garden Studio can.

The Garden Office or Garden Studio

A well-designed Garden Office will be well insulated, the more the better in this case. Many Garden Offices suppliers provide a basic level of insulation however to get the maximum benefit high levels of insulation are required. The better insulated the less heat is required to get to and maintain a comfortable temperature, a poorly insulated room will require the heating to be on higher and for long periods, this often generates overheating. High levels of insulation mean the room stays cool in summer and warm in winter, providing a far more controllable temperature.

Garden Rooms by definition are located in the garden, with plenty of opportunities for windows or glazed doors. Not only does this provide the important natural daylight it gives a direct view of nature.

The Garden Room design should include ventilation through trickle vents in the window or doors, this gives the minimum ventilation to reduce moisture build-up and provide fresh air, in addition at least one opening window should be provided for additional ventilation when required.

Probably the biggest advantage of a Garden Office is its dedicated use, the user has control, not only of the environment but the layout and privacy. Not just an office but a haven, my space.

A Garden Office with a high level of specification, design and build quality will last for many years and maintain its good looks, be an enviable working environment and be an asset to the property when selling.

References

KED report. The impact of workplace design on employee well-being and performance: https://www.kedproductivity.com/articles/impact-workplace-design-employee-well-being-and-performance

RSM report. Hybrid working the employment tax considerations 29 July 2021: https://www.rsmuk.com/ideas-and-insights/employment-tax-hybrid-working

Insight 12oct 2017. Working conditions and office design shown to impact employee performance – Sara Bean: https://workplaceinsight.net/workplace-conditions-and-the-office-design-shown-to-affect-performance

CIPD (2020). Working from home: What’s driving the rise in remote working? London Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development: https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/work/trends/megatrends/working-home-rise

UWE Economics Working Paper Series 1220. The impact of the quality of the work environment on employer intention to quit: https://www2.uwe.ac.uk/faculties/BBS/BUS/Research/economics2012/1221.pdf 

Department for Transport (2017) Commuting trends in England 1988-2015: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/877039/commuting-in-england-1988-2015.pdf