Too many office staff working in inappropriate home environment

A recent study has suggested that two in every five office staff are now working in an ‘inappropriate’ home-working environment as a result of the coronavirus crisis.

The Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management surveyed 2,200 adults and found that only one in four had a separate home office, with most having to resort to make-shift work stations at dining room tables, sofas and beds.

With working from home unsurprisingly ‘blurring’ lines between work and personal life, the survey also uncovered that half of those who responded also have difficulties staying motivated and focused when working from home, and almost as many faced distractions.

Almost a third said they wanted more support from their employer to create a productive workspace, such as providing office chairs, desks and screens, and almost as many wanted better IT support.

Chris Moriarty, of the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management, said: "As lockdown measures begin to ease, government and business attention is turning to the mammoth task of how, and when, to get employees across the UK safely back to work.

"Yet it would be naive to assume that 'business as usual' will look the same post-crisis, and many are considering the long-term implications of this national experiment in home working. Businesses looking to cut costs, or respond to increased employee demand for flexible working, need to also consider the implications to the nation's productivity of allowing employees to work from home without investing in an adequate home-working environment."