Working 9 to 5; what a way to make a living – now do it from home
The number of people working from home in the UK has increased by 13 per cent in the last 5 years according to a new TUC analysis of official figures assembled to mark National Work From Home Day, organised by WorkWise UK.
- Number of people in UK working from home up 13% in last 5 years (Labour Force Survey)
- Majority of new homeworking jobs created have gone to women
- By 2015 1.5 billion people will be undertaking mobile working (IDF)
The TUC analysis of unpublished data from the Labour Force Survey reveals that just over 4 million employees usually worked at home in 2012, a rise of 470,000 since 2007, with many millions more occasionally work from home. Geographically the South East, Scotland and Wales have seen the sharpest rise in homeworking over the last 5 years.
The report went onto state that nearly two-thirds (65 per cent) of people who work from home are male with an increasing number of women making this choice. The research also showed that the majority of homeworking jobs created in the last 5 years have gone to women.
Further recent research from the Employers Network for Equality & Inclusion (ENEI) involving 55 UK companies found over 60 per cent believe a quarter of their staff will be making the most of mobile working practices in the next half a decade. Looking globally the International Data Forecast (IDF) predicts that by 2015, there will be 1.5 billion people across the world undertaking mobile working.
The Yahoo CEO, Marissa Mayer famously banned working from home earlier this year as she believes that the best ideas happen when workers are face to face and have the ability to collaborate with each other. But it turns out that remote workers are more engaged according to Scott Edinger from Edinger Consulting Group.
So what does all this mean for us?
The problem that many will face when considering working from home is a reliable broadband connection and having the space to accommodate all the paraphernalia that goes with the 9 to 5.
Twitter enthusiasts will have regularly seen #wfh (working from home) where tweeters are happily munching on cupcakes, cuddling the cat and enjoying their favourite station on the digital radio without interference from traditional ‘colleagues’.
But the cold reality of home working comes down to comfort, space and the ability to shut the door and return to ‘home life’ at the end of your working day. If your house is to become for work and for pleasure then it needs to be able to accommodate both without one part infringing on the other.
With the rise in popularity of working from home, house builders, retailers and interior designers have become incredibly inventive about creating work space in the home.
Many retailers are able to provide dinky desk arrangements to fit in the corners of a spare room, in alcoves and under bunk beds. Some families have installed multiple desk suites in a room, creating space for Mum, Dad and the kids to all work/study together.
Richard Patterson, Director of My Online Estate Agent comments on requests he sees from buyers,
“Many purchasers are looking for an area in the home that is dedicated to ‘work’. They are looking for a room where they can install filling cabinets, shelves, desks, an office chair and all essential Wi-Fi kit. Most of our clients are content to ‘make do’ with turning over a spare room for this purpose although some need much larger spaces.”
Partner of award winning Surrey estate agency Barton Wyatt, James Wyatt comments,
“A good number of our clients have added a garden studio to their homes. In Virginia Water there is often ample space in the garden and the choice of garden rooms is becoming far wider. These multi-functional ‘sheds’ can be as simple or as sophisticated as you desire, from a plain insulated cabin arrangement to an all-singing, all-dancing heated, plumbed and networked suite that includes a bathroom, soft seating area and a small kitchen. Clients working from home include architects that need huge drawing desks, Pilates instructors seeking floor space and beauticians who want an aesthetically pleasing and peaceful environment.”
Luxury developer, Millgate, create homes that already incorporate modern day working areas.
Jonathan Cranley, Sales and Marketing Director explains,
“It is an essential today for most of our clients to have a spacious area to work from home; many are international business men/women who often work remotely at all hours of the day. We endeavour to always include a room designed for this purpose with numerous electrical sockets and communication ports, a pleasing view and away from the noisy hub of the house. Some of our homes afford rooms over the garages and these make excellent home offices; within these we create a large ‘living’ area, a bathroom and fully fitted kitchen enabling independence from the main house during the work day.”
Gallery of homes of the market that would be perfect for working from home:
Tavistock, Virginia Water, Surrey £1,995,000
This house has recently been subject to a complete modernisation programme including new heating system, rewiring, a magnificent new kitchen and luxurious bathroom suites throughout. The spacious accommodation is set over just two floors with generous room sizes and is well suited to contemporary family lifestyle with an enormous kitchen/breakfast/conservatory area, ideal for entertaining.
The house has a quiet study off the main entrance hall. Being south facing, the house is incredibly light, with large windows and spaciousness being very much a theme throughout the property.
The rear of the house faces due south and has a lovely open view.
For more information please contact Barton Wyatt on 01344 843000 or visit www.bartonwyatt.co.uk.
Alderbourne Place, Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire £2,100,000
Alderbourne Place enjoys a perfect blend of seclusion and comfort which offers the best of town and country living, nestled in rolling green-belt countryside. This fabulous new development consists of 8 impressive country homes and 4 town houses reflecting meticulous attention to detail with architectural integrity, yet again setting the benchmark for building excellence.
The town house have been snapped up already but country homes with spacious studies are available from £2,100,000. For further information or to arrange a viewing on 0118 934 3344or visit www.millgatehomes.co.uk.
Henley Road, Haslemere, Surrey £685,000
This lovely 4 bedroom 2 bathroom detached period cottage has been renovated and extended by its present owners to create a unique reverse level home. If you think you might need working from home facilities for more than one of you then this property is perfect – it has a studio annexe, double garage and a garden office. The original part of the house is thought to be around 300 years old and retains a great deal of its original charm. The house sits in a wonderful elevated position with stunning views of the surrounding countryside.
For more information please contact My Online Estate Agent on 0845 257 1101 or visit
http://www.myonlineestateagent.com/for-sale/surrey/haslemere/henley-1913/
Waterford House, Wentworth Estate
£4,250,000
Waterford House is superbly situated within the Wentworth Estate on arguably one of the most prestigious roads within Wentworth. Both the Wentworth clubhouse and the village are within easy walking distance. This house has plentiful accommodation with five bedroom suites, five reception rooms, cinema room, games room and a three car garage.
If you are working from home within the main house there is study and a studio annexe sits over the garage which could be used as an office.
For more information contact Barton Wyatt on 0134 484 3000 or visit http://www.bartonwyatt.co.uk.
Geers Farm, Heathfield, Sussex
£640,000
An beautiful detached 5 bed period house oozing with character. Parts of the house date back to 1450 when it owned all the land in the vicinity surrounded by woodland and wheat fields. Geers Farm is privately located in its own large garden with access via a long drive and electrically operated gates. The house has been extensively refurbished and re-modelled by the current owners and is now presented in superb order throughout.
A welcoming entrance hall with slate flooring and under floor heating leading into a spacious utility and separate kitchen. A magnificent Drawing room with stable door to garden and sun terrace, heavily timbered and with fine large inglenook fireplace and raised brick hearth and with French doors opening directly onto the large patio.
The first floor the property has two ´wings´ leading off to the newer part of the building is a large open plan reception area with oak floorboards and double doors to a decked balcony terrace which leads down to the rear garden.
The triple integral garage would make the perfect spot to develop an area to work from home. There is lapsed planning permission to convert all of the garages. And whilst this work is being carried out why not use one of the 5 bedrooms as an office.
For more information please contact My Online Estate Agent on 0845 257 1101 or visit http://www.myonlineestateagent.com/for-sale/east-sussex/heathfield/pook-reed-lane-1911/
Holland Place Sunninghill, Berkshire
Guide Price from £3,500,000
Three luxury contemporary private residences in soon to be completed in a gated private road. The houses are located just two miles from Ascot High Street in the picturesque village of Sunninghill.
These 6 bedroom residences each sit within substantial landscaped grounds, reflecting meticulous attention to detail in design, specification and architectural integrity – again setting the benchmark for building excellence. Well thought out studies are on the ground floor of each home and large media rooms in the roof give options for setting out your home.
For more information contact Millgate on 01189 343344 or visit www.millgatehome.co.uk