As the culture of remote working, or teleworking, becomes more commonplace, homes are being redesigned. The traditional layout and required utility of living space is no longer seen in the same way. Now, the personal space of homes, those that provide comfort and entertainment, are being placed next to professional needs. 

Office space is in demand among residents. Spare rooms are being refitted to accommodate desks and estate agents are advertising homes for their professional potential as much as they are number of beds. As remote working continues to establish itself, seemingly irreversibly so, the trend is spreading. The question is, why is a home working space important? 

For those beginning a newly remote role, it might seem like any occupiable space in the home is useful. A laptop can be easily mobile and internet signal can generally be strong enough anywhere in the home. On paper, this is true. It’s the reason why many choose to work on a sofa or spread their documents across the kitchen table. It only takes a few weeks, however, to realise why this won’t work in the long run.

When working in a central office space, it is easy to switch off at the end of the day. Once out of the door, a mind is less easily distracted by professional tasks because the working environment is shut off. When, however, the working environment is established at home and alongside a personal space, this becomes more challenging.

One of the most common experiences of remote workers is burnout and many are attributing this to the inability to switch off. If a desk space is in view or a professional laptop left in the dining room, residents will feel less separated from their professional role and more inclined to work longer hours. While individuals may feel like they can easily ignore their work, evidence suggests otherwise.

As such, homes are being remodelled to have a personal-professional divide. Such divides must be physical. Doors to a spare room, those that can be closed, are a great example. As are log cabins and other garden outbuildings because they act as an office that is, quite literally, separate from the home. These barriers allow residents to confine their professional lives to a specific space and keep their personal, relaxation space free from compromise.

There is also the consideration of utility. Professional tasks, whether a video conference or document filing can be extremely challenging in a multipurpose environment or one affected by disruption. Without practical design, a home can be filled with distractions, failing to accommodate the need for equipment and hindering tasks with spaces ill-designed for job roles.

This is why those wanting to manage their remote role long-term should replicate the historic office within their home as much as possible. Assets such as filing cabinets and desk chairs should not be underestimated as they play important roles in utility and comfort, enabling tasks to be completed effectively and without disruption. 

With this in mind, it is quite clear why residents are motivated to establish office spaces at home. Remote working is not a trend but something that is here to stay, and a reason to begin rethinking the home as we know it.