Benefits of the Dedicated Workplace

The last several years have deemphasis the importance of having an elegant and comfortable office to work in.  Companies started and developed remote access allowing people to work from home.  As society moves further away from the COVID-19 pandemic, these same companies are once again realizing the benefit of commercial workplaces.  Remote work is nice and convenient but there are tangible benefits to being in a dedicated workspace and seeing your coworkers in person.  As the workplace environment continues to evolve with time, companies are trying to find a perfect balance between remote work and in person office time.

Better Focus

There are countless distractions that can occur when you are working from home that will not exist when you are in a dedicated commercial office space.  When we work from our homes, we are more inclined to take on more personal moments.  These moments can be doing the laundry, visiting family, getting a head start on dinner, or countless more tasks around the house.  These chores do not take a lot of time but the accumulation of it all can lead to a drop in focus and productivity.  The necessary thought and effort required does take away from your professional focus, often without even realizing it.  These distractions do not exist in the professional work environment.    In a commercial office space, free time is often spent talking with your coworkers.  These conversations are usually work based and can result in new perspectives or creative thinking. 

Better Workplace Communication

Most business communications take place via e-mail or other digital means.  However, that does not mean that face to face interactions is not important.  Teamwork is key in almost any industry, and it is difficult to form strong personal relationships over a camera.  The art of small talk to fill time between meetings is a lost art and these informal in personal moments can often lead to a better understanding of an individual’s teammate.   Additionally, a sense of urgency is also difficult to express digitally.  When you look a coworker in the eye and stress how important something is they will take note.  There is no foolproof way to express tone and urgency besides using more firm words.  Just being around teammates allows people to read body language and emotion far better then any read email can.  Finally, being in a work environment allows one to leave their desk to consult with someone nearby.  That is a wonderful way to get work done and get some fresh scenery at the same time without unnecessary distractions.

The Future

Every company wants to look toward the future and predict the best business model; however, history shows that this is easier said than done.  Companies want employees to come into the office and many employees want to work exclusively from home.   The current economic trend is a hybrid and a compromise.  Workplaces have a remote to in office ratio for employees.  Employees must dedicate certain time in the office and usually certain days.  This allows for team interaction and workplace cohesion and for personal freedom and comfort.   As a result of this compromise, some companies are downsizing commercial spaces.  This can help save on rent expenses but still provide a professional environment.  However, a thoughtful decision must be made before downsizing takes place.  How many desks and chairs are required?  Will the entire staff work in the office at the same time, or can workspaces be shared?  Does your current office furniture and technology still meet the in-office needs? These are just a few of the questions that will need to be answered before a final decision on a policy and office environment is made. 

There is no right or wrong ratio for in office vs remote work hours.  A business leader must do what is right for both the company and the employees.  This is a decision to be made as a team and clear expectations need to be set up.  As the business world evolves so will remote work verse in office expectations.  If you need any advice on the current trends in the office furniture world, feel free to reach out to us at sales@furniturewholesalers.com. A comfortable and efficient office is always a benefit to productivity.