Cut the commute and work from home for better well-being
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) recently analysed the effects of commuting on people in the UK* as part of a National Well-being programme. Unsurprisingly, the longer a journey is to work, coupled with complications, creates poor well-being in workers.
- Commuting for 61 – 90 minutes has the worst effect on well-being (ONS)
- Working from home results in 13.5% increased output vs remaining in the office (Harvard)
- Homes without an internet connection or slow download speeds worth up to 20% less
James Wyatt, Partner of leading luxury estate agent, Barton Wyatt in Surrey comments:
“It is imperative today that we as agents are knowledgeable about broadband speeds and which providers offer the best solutions here in Surrey. Since I live in the neighbourhood, as do many of my staff, we are able to offer sound, first-hand advice to our prospective clients and they certainly do ask!
“Almost every home buyer and tenant in the country these days requires broadband, however our clients are often running large international businesses. They will be working all times of night and day and having a peaceful area to work in with all the necessary equipment is essential. As an example it is a necessity these days to have a minimum of six electrical sockets in the study. New homes builders have got wise to this and are usually extremely generous with the amount of wiring that is built in.”
This trend of working from home is further echoed by ONS statistics which reveal that in the Surrey borough of Waverley the number of people working from home has risen from 12% in 2001 to just over 17% in 2011. Local councillors say head hunters and marketing executives are choosing to set up their own businesses in their homes and that having the space for a desk and a laptop is as imperative for a working person as it is perhaps for a GCSE student.
Building homes for the 21st century, Millgate the Berkshire-based, award winning luxury home developer, are experts in understanding what is required for home working and install IT networks throughout to ensure that their buyers can move in and get connected with ease.
Jonathan Cranley, Sales and Marketing Director of Millgate comments,
“As a matter of course we pre-install a very comprehensive supply of not only telephone and television points strategically throughout our homes but also hidden Cat5e wiring. Cat5e wiring is the very latest thing to bring homes the latest technology, you can plug in PC’s, Sonos, Wi-Fi, Sky TV, printers, all the Apple products, mobile phone boosters and PBX phones. Having all this wiring pre-installed and in copious amounts ensures that unsightly wiring is not draped all over your beautiful, brand new home.
“Creating a solution for good home working is a very important and popular with our clients; we tend to select a room on the ground floor to be used as a home office but of course in reality it is up to the owner where they situate themselves. Fabulous home offices are often created over the double or triple garages for example as they have bathrooms and small kitchens within them so are ideal for home working.”
The analysis revealed that, “The worst effects of commuting on personal well-being were associated with journey times lasting between 61 and 90 minutes. On average, all four aspects of personal well-being were negatively affected by commutes of this duration when compared to those travelling only 15 minutes or less to work.” The four aspects which were investigated in this study were life satisfaction, worthwhile, happy yesterday and anxious yesterday.
In the quest for a better work-life balance, more and more people today are striving to spend greater amounts of time working from home but often employers are concerned that staff working from home will not give the same level of commitment and their output will suffer.
However Harvard University recently completed a study on working from home vs working in the office. Students studied a call centre over a period of 9 months with half the workforce at home during the day whilst the other half commuted to the office. The most incredible result was that the home workers completed 13.5% more calls than the staff in the office—meaning that the business got almost an extra workday per week.
And, as reported in the Guardian only last week, fast a broadband connection is now considered vital by increasing numbers of homebuyers. In the article Property Expert, Henry Pryor said that houses without a connection or slow download speeds can be worth up to 20% less.
For a selection of homes which would be perfect for home working and reducing the commuting hell:
Waterford House, Wentworth Estate £4,250,000
Waterford House was built in 2005 for the current owners, a house of considerable charm and character and individuality. No expense was spared in the construction of the house using the finest materials and construction methods. Of particular note is the amount of technology within the house with Crestron and Lutron systems controlling the audio visual, curtains, blinds and even the running of the bath via IPhone technology. Throughout the house there is a feel of sophisticated luxury with attention to detail and design.
Five bedrooms, five bathrooms, five reception rooms, cinema room, games room, three car garage with studio annexe over with shower room and kitchenette, beautifully landscaped gardens.
For more information contact Barton Wyatt on 0134 484 3000 or visit www.bartonwyatt.co.uk Ashworth House, Holland Place, Sunninghill £4,250,000
A six bedroom residence located in the heart of the Home Counties just 2 miles from Ascot racecourse.
The property offers exceptional accommodation, arranged over three storeys, boasting a magnificent central galleried staircase with spectacular chandelier, three large reception rooms ideal for entertaining, while the kitchen/family room with an orangery opening out into the garden is the informal heart of the home. Upstairs there are en-suite bathrooms to all six of the bedrooms plus a bonus bedroom/games room. Staff can also easily be accommodated within the annexe which is found over the triple garage.
For more details on this opulent private development contact Millgate on 0118 934 3344 or Hamptons International on 01372 469279 or alternatively visit www.millgatehomes.co.uk Harringbrook, Trevereux Hill, Oxted £3,500,000
A stunning 5/6 bedroom detached house with a magnificent open plan kitchen living dining room, separate drawing room, study, cinema, triple garage with accommodation over and an outdoor infinity swimming pool. The property is fully equipped for the ideal modern lifestyle.
For more details on this incredible new development please contact Millgate on 01189 348085 or visit www.millgatehomes.co.uk.
4 Virginia Drive, Virginia Water £2,450,000
The accommodation is set over two floors. The ground floor reception rooms are mainly open plan with the garden being drawn to the house by the large windows which are all fitted with electric blinds for shading and security. Further ground floor rooms include a beautiful guest bedroom suite and a separate study. On the first floor there is a very large landing area which doubles as a library/TV lounge and a gallery overlooking the dining area. The three first floor bedrooms all have large windows with vaulted ceilings.
For more details contact Barton Wyatt on 01344 843000 or visit www.bartonwyatt.co.uk
*The report is based largely on data from the Annual Population Survey (APS), carried out by the ONS from April 2012 to March 2013