How People Have Responded To Working From Home

Remote working is likely to become commonplace across the country, which could significantly change the housing market.

Even though there have been many changes for people to deal with recently, remote working is one of the biggest challenges in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. With many people coming to terms with working from home, and the realisation this might be the “norm” for many years to come, people are making changes to their home to work more productively.

In 2019, just 5% of the working population worked from home on a regular basis. Less than 30% of the workforce has worked from home at any point. By the end of the year, these two figures are likely to be considerably different.

It would be fair to say many people had a dismissive view of remote working. For some, home workers would spend as much time in front of the TV as they did in front of the computer. Now that remote working is far more common, perceptions have changed, and a lot of people are realising this is an effective way of working.

While online shopping has benefitted from the lockdown process, it is interesting to note what people are buying. It makes sense that grocery shopping is extremely popular online these days, but there has been a sharp increase for many home office materials and equipment.

People need office equipment when working from home

Information for March 2020 suggests there was a 172% increase in computer monitor purchases. Office chair purchases increased by 104% while there was an 89% increase in office desks. These figures suggest a lot of people spent time and money setting up a work station in the early days of the lockdown. It is likely many people are prepared to work from home for a lengthy period of time.

Of course, while home office equipment sales details the way people are living and working, the same can be said for the technology we use. If you are working from home, there is a good chance you have used video conference calls or live chat. One of the most common options is Zoom, although there are other options available.

Video technology is an integral part of the working day

Zoom released information which will likely take some people by surprise. In December 2019, Zoom hosted an average of 10 million meetings a day, but for March 2020, Zoom hosted 200 million meeting a day. This is a significant increase, and one that quickly shows the volume of home working taking place right now.

Another indicator in the change to common working practices comes with Google information. For April 2020, the leading search engine indicates there was a 190% increase in searches for garden office pods. If you have space in your garden, and you cannot find a space or peace in your house, this is a solution that helps you be productive.

It is likely when we move forward, home-office space will become a key component when searching for property.

We know these are challenging times, but if you have any questions about the local letting industry, please feel free to contact us. At Ariston, we aim to support the local community as best we can, and we look forward to assisting you in any way.