There’s one thing that the pandemic has done to society as a whole, and that is to revolutionise the way in which we work. While video communications and the internet had quietly seeped into the workplace pre-covid, it was still the norm for the majority of workers to go into the office on a daily basis and perform their duties from communal office buildings.
Garden sheds are no longer limited to being home to green and leafy hobbies, it has become the new area for work and even for extra income, considering the health condition issues that may hamper office-based works.
There was a dramatic switch from the usual home-office routines among workforces. It has switched into home-garden shed scenario where they need not drive and commute towards office buildings where businesses normally took place.
As much as possible, when it can possibly be done online or digitally, there is no need for work to be done inside cubicles. The garden shed will do.
The Working From Home Revolution
The working from home diktat that was imposed during the height of the pandemic meant that companies all over the world had to navigate a new working culture.
It ended up being a great big social experiment which has resulted in many companies maintaining that ‘WFH’ culture both in its entirety (and thereby closing down their office space once and for all), or by operating a more ‘hybrid’ approach to working, whereby employees can do a couple of days in the office., and the rest working from home.
All things have been tested to ensure businesses are ongoing regardless of the challenges a worldwide epidemic would bring. Every industry has adapted such a working culture and it has been widely accepted, so far.
The Luxury Of A Garden Office
For the employees, the results of this experiment were bittersweet. For those who had the time and space to work from home, they were able to create dedicated working space which could be separated from their home life.
A garden office or detached working space meant that peace and serenity could be maintained without being disturbed by domesticity. Eco-friendly workplaces offer more benefits, basically.
It is less costly to maintain and it requires less maintenance costs. The fresh air and healthier environment the garden office offers far more beneficial compared to working inside an enclosed office space where airconditioned surrounding may sometime offer more health hazards than good.
Garden netting is another ideal option. In addition to fencing off significant plants and providing excellent protection for a lot of smaller-growing ornamentals and vegetables, garden netting can be embellished with string lights to add flair to the holiday décor as a partition or a background.
You’ll be surprised by the impact it can have on your backyard, as it will set a mood and is easy to install and take down as needed. For plant lovers, the more a worker can enjoy the job, considering the green surroundings which is technically refreshing and brings a good feeling.
The Kitchen Table Masses
Unfortunately, for the majority of people who were working from home, the kitchen table had to suffice, as well as sharing it with children of different ages who were all tasked to be doing lessons online with their schools, requiring additional tablets and technology (which involved additional expense).
It encouraged employees to start to think more creatively about the use of their pace at home, and whether there could be more creative ideas to develop a separate workspace away from distractions.
Working from home need not require fab and glamorous furniture and wall decors. Wherever one is comfortable working and doing things productively, that will be all that matters.
If you have a generous kitchen island at home, that is even better. There are variety of areas where one can improvise and be creative while at the same time doing clerical or office tasks.
Adding Value To Your Property
It can come as no surprise that the sales of garden rooms (or ‘shoffices’) increased considerably during covid.
With more than a third of UK workers logging into their home-based laptops during this time, it was becoming increasingly obvious that a garden office was an investment that would only add value to a property.
Sales of garden rooms grew by a staggering 500 per cent in the early part of 2021, and sales of sheds soared by 460 per cent.
The installation of a proper garden room is no mean feat. It can cost upwards of £20,000, but the result is a bona fide space with running water and electricity, and all the mod cons required to create a comfortable working environment.
As a result, valuers estimate that its inclusion can eventually add one and a half times its original value to the overall value of the property. News of home and garden offices conversion being the latest in real estate trend has gone viral.
That means that business owners have also looked into the possibility of converting free and raw spaces at home into home gardens. These changes can be a source of extra income, especially for those who are looking to lease spaces and share home garden as the work location.
Temporarily More Disposable Income
One phenomenon that the WFH years did create was the fact that people had greater disposable income.
Due to the closure of hospitality and many shops, retail and leisure outlets, theatres and cinemas, households generally were spending less money on going out. They couldn’t even go on holidays, which get being cancelled and rolled over into the next year.
As a result, more and more people were investing more into their outside spaces, and for those who didn’t have much outside space, there was an increase in demand for larger properties.
While attitudes to working from home shifts according to who you talk to, there is no putting it back in its box – the concept is here to stay, and while there is a definite skills shortage, many employees are realising that working from home can be a real benefit that can be negotiated into their contracts.
Real estate and improvements required in such properties have also grown. Realtors took advantage of the need and there had been a demand for interior designs, repair and reconstruction, and all things related to making free space at home valuable and income-generating.
