Editor: Working from home was necessary during the pandemic, but does it really need to stay this way for good?
If we want to go back to a pre-Covid-19 world, we need to start acting like it. This means sacrificing working from home to return to the office, which allows businesses to collaborate with their teams in an organic way.
The ability to walk across the room to ask a colleague a question is an underappreciated gesture we often forget about; no hassle to schedule and set up a video call, just walk over and speak to them.
In-person communication significantly adds to the team’s productivity and creativity. Having people accessible to brainstorm ideas or pitches reduces the struggle of working independently and allows a free-flowing office of ideas.
There is also the health aspect of working from the office versus at home. A recent NHS study found that 95% of participants working from home felt lonelier, their diet had worsened and they were exercising below the recommended average.
People also reported being unable to easily provide boundaries from work while being at home. This caused people to over-work, feeling they constantly needed to be online, with no buffer between work and home.
The office provides colleagues much more than just an address. Since Covid-19, many UK offices have incorporated amenities to give an allure to working in an office setting. These include perks such as game rooms, outdoor spaces, modern kitchen/eating areas and even doggy daycare sessions. They have also renovated their interiors to feel more welcoming.
It is clear that in-person work boosts the productivity, health and morale of a business. We can easily see how this is necessary for our economy, as we bounce back from the impact of Covid-19. To get back to where Britain once was, returning to the office plays a vital role for both the individual and the business.
Niki Fuchs, chief executive, Office Space in Town
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