A Yorkshire start-up is launching a new service providing a one-stop shop for organisations seeking optimised working-from-home solutions which benefit employers and employees alike.
Founded in the wake of the 2020 lockdown, Leeds-based Homework is targeting a growing market of businesses which have come to appreciate the benefits of remote working but understand the need to make it ergonomically suitable for the long-term productivity and well-being of staff. Working in collaboration with a wide-ranging network of designers and manufacturers, Homework provides IT and ergonomic equipment along with furniture tailored to each individual and their home to create a home-based working environment designed for 100 per cent productivity.
Recent research has given Homework cause to anticipate healthy demand for its service model. A survey of 1,046 UK employers carried out by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) found that 37 per cent of employees will be working from home on a regular basis once the crisis is over, according to employer predictions, compared to just 18 per cent who did so before lockdown. Additionally, businesses expected the proportion of staff working from home all the time to increase from 9 per cent before the pandemic to 22 per cent. A recent employer benchmarking survey by Lewis Silkin found that increased working-from-home arrangements and more flexibility topped the list of Covid-19 adaptations that employers might want to keep in the longer term.
A spokesperson for Homework said:
“Covid-19 has given rise to a new normal for many businesses as lockdown has demonstrated that they can still fully function when the workforce are not in the office and in turn, raised questions on what more can be done to maintain a healthy work-life balance and limit unnecessary travel time. Numerous organisations have embraced the potential that remote working offers in terms of lower operational costs, reduced environmental impact, improved staff well-being and increased productivity. However, many employees had to hastily improvise their working arrangements in lockdown, often leading to sub-standard set-ups at home which are ill-suited to their needs and likely to impact productivity and physical health in the longer term.
“Based on an initial process of business consultation and employee self-assessment, we can provide a full design and installation service which enables organisations to complete a smooth, properly planned transition to remote working which encompasses every aspect of ergonomic efficiency, creating an environment where employees feel as if they were still in the office. If remote working is set up correctly, the rewards can be enormously valuable – a better work-life balance for employees, more competitive talent attraction for employers and huge savings for businesses, all at no loss to productivity.”
