The pandemic caused a massive shift temporarily when social isolation, COVID legislations, and limitations meant that for a massive proportion of people, office working was canceled completely.  Before COVID19, 70% of the relevant population had no experience at all of working from home, and only 1.7 million people in the UK worked from home at this time.  This number stormed up to around 20 million, which is over 60% of the total working population.

Now the offices are opening up again, there are questions on if office working is needed any longer, but there are massive arguments for the return to the office as the main work base.

Office working boosts mental health

During the period when employees were working from home at all times, 41% of employees stated they felt more anxious and isolated due to lockdown, and 42% admitted they struggled more with their mental health than usual.  An office isn’t necessarily an escape from home, but it enables employees to have a dedicated space to work away from a home environment with a more structured start and end time, and a new group of people to spend time with outside their home or domestic circle.

Boosting collaboration and creativity

Long-distance conversations using tools such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams is a good way to stay in touch but doesn’t provide the same spirit of collaboration or community.  Being able to pass ideas around and work from physical items can be essential in a number of industries, and being able to walk over to someone’s desk for an unstructured chat instead of scheduling a set meeting can be quicker and more enjoyable.

No substitute for office wi-fi

You may have employees at all levels and in all locations, with can lead to issues with getting the fastest speed of internet.  Those on a lower budget could have lower quality internet coverage, and those in remote locations could have regular connectivity issues that could hamper not just communications, but also productivity.  The super fast office wi-fi speed available at most office spaces for rent means that employees can work at the best possible speed without being struck down by technology breakdowns.

Offices provide a professional image and culture

A business can communicate a lot about their brand image, ethics, and values through their office space, especially with the popularity of sharing images of the company culture through social media. This means that clients, visitors, and those viewing a business’s online presence are able to physically experience the brand. A physical presence such as this can also help in projecting an image that helps to win business and attract the best talent.

Office working in Surrey

If you’re looking for modern office space in a great location with the best quality, superfast wi-fi, get in touch with SEND Business Centre for a tour of the facilities and a look at their flexible contracts.