Smart Office Solutions For Work From Home

Coronavirus Quarantine Has Boosted The Demand For Home Office Furniture As Professionals Want To Ensure Proper Comfort And Safety Because They Believe They Are In It For A Long Haul. By: Leandra Monteiro    Now that we are living through the global Covid-19 pandemic, with millions of people abruptly forced to work from home, recreating office at home has become an urgent topic. With Indian homes not designed to have a ‘study’, many are finding themselves hunched over laptops on sofas or beds, perched on hard dining table and chairs or subjecting their arms and wrists to ill-placed keyboards. Since coronavirus closed workplaces in cities nationwide, millions of professionals are working from home. However, they seem to miss the comforts of office space. This experience has opened a new dimension in home interiors and designers have created various solutions around it for existing and new homes. “Home should be about the people first. It’s a place for everyone to be safe, to feel comfortable and in control. Technology is quickly becoming a vital part of the IKEA customer experience and home furnishing offer. As we enter a new digital era, we are also exploring new ways to create a better everyday life at home, while protecting people’s privacy.” said Fredrik Axén, Digital Manager Core business franchise, Inter IKEA Systems B.V. The convergence of working and living space is forcing people to reconsider the function and design of their homes. Many are also looking at the likelihood of working from home partially even after the pandemic passes. Working at home may be here to stay, and more widely accepted than ever. But what should these reconfigured home workspaces look like? The shrinking size of urban homes is already fuelling the demand for space saving and multifunctional furniture. In addition, good ergonomics is essential for working long hours frequently absent in home furniture not designed for working. Manoj Rathi – AVP & Head – Godrej U&Us said, “As more people understand that work from home is a trend that is expected to stay around for some more time, we have been receiving enquiries from customers for office furniture. In response, the company has launched a new ergonomically designed range of WFH products ranging from a simple folding worktops to multifunctional furniture. We see this trend continue with most organizations restructuring and making work from home a part of their business models.”   Home office for New Normal  Though the thought of home office gives an ideal imagery of a dedicated room, that’s not necessarily the case in city homes. In modern times, the “office” component has more to do with the furniture than the actual room itself such as a writing desk in a bedroom or a kitchen desk. Today, as homebound workers search for a place to do their jobs, the addition of a desk or laptop stand can transform a room or part of a room into a home office. With people spending more time at home than ever before, now is the time to act and learn more about the way we experience and engage with our homes. Furniture brands are taking the opportunity to explore new ways of how we interact with the spaces we live in and design future products accordingly. IKEA recently launched EverydayExperiments.com- a platform where design and technology studios come together to engage, spark discussions, challenge convention and inspire action through new collaborations. The collaborative experiments have been developed with the intention to create a better everyday life at home. The explorative, surprising and playful experiments can be perceived on the platform that demonstrates how our homes can be experienced in extraordinary ways through the means of technology. Godrej U&Us has been promoting digital co-creation experience whereas customers can participate in design process to visualize their home designs. With restrictions in place due to COVID 19 situation, U&Us designers are using U&Us digital interaction platform to connect with customer and conduct design discussions.   Furniture Hygiene One of our most effective defence mechanisms to stop the spread of COVID-19 has been to wash our hands with soap and water. Furniture manufactures across India have implemented elaborate SOPs to ensure that their products are manufactured, delivered and installed with utmost precaution and care as per the existing regulations. Once the furniture is handed-over to the customers, consumers are informed how  they can maintain and sanitize the furniture. Edward Prem Kumar, Country Head- Bene India Office Furniture pvt ltd shared, “We have been monitoring this evolving situation carefully since the outbreak of the virus. Consequently, at Bene we have implemented general Guidelines for maintaining, cleaning and disinfection of all kind of textiles and surfaces in current scenario have been developed by us and global partners. Bacteria and viruses can be easily wiped off the surfaces with isopropanol (2-propanol) and a soft cloth. The surfaces are not attacked in this way. Isopropanol is the active ingredient also been released for the control of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) for hand disinfection. Commercial disinfectants are only partially suitable as they can damage the surface. A sanitizing or disinfection process can be used to reduce the number of microorganisms even further (ECDC, CDC, CDC-2). Always use disinfectants or sanitizers that are recommended by national authorities, and follow the procedures defined by the authorities or on the label of the disinfectants.”   Ideal Home Office Space The pandemic experience has opened up new dimension in home space planning and designers have created various solutions around it for existing and new homes.  This WFH trend will continue with most organizations restructuring and making work from home a part of their business models. This has prompted workers nationwide to do the same, snapping up electronics, furniture and lighting to transform their spare rooms and kitchen tables into centres of productivity. The essentials for creating a practical home office include: Location - Home office can be in a separate room or a quiet corner. The key to selecting the right place for your home office, is to think about where and when you do your work. If you are a busy mom, a kitchen desk area may be the ideal place. The COVID 19 impact you’ll want to select a space that’s away from the daily distractions of your household. Space - Make sure you allow enough space to work comfortably. Use the same rule of thumb professional designers use to lay out a workstation – allow at least 60” (150cm) in width and 84” (210cm) in depth. Furniture - Select a desk that is wide enough for your computer and anything else necessary. While an adjustable-height desk is ideal it’s not always practical in a home office setting. Choose a desk that is not too high – 28”-30” (70-75cm) high is an acceptable range. Invest in a good quality chair that is comfortable and adjustable. Storage - Consider enough shelving or cupboards for your storage needs and to keep your current work within arm’s reach such as a shelf near your desk. Light - Good lighting is critical for any home office space.. Position your desk to face the windows for natural light or have an overhead ceiling light to provide good general lighting. Include a desk light to provide shadow-free task lighting.