The Prime Minister last week announced that the government was implementing its ‘Plan B’ strategy to cope with the rising threat of the Omicron variant of Covid-19. These rules include face masks to become compulsory once again in most public indoor venues, Covid Passes to be mandatory in specific settings, and that people should work from home wherever possible. Boris Johnson said: "Go to work if you must, but work from home if you can."
In 2020 35% of workers in Britain did ‘some’ work according to the Office for National Statistics, with many preferring a hybrid model of going into the office at least one or two days a week once restrictions were lifted at the end of the last lockdown.
With the recommendation that we now work from home wherever possible back in place it brings the focus back on our working from home setup. If working from home is going to be a fundamental part of the government’s fight against Covid, we need to be ready to flex our working from home muscles. Dedicating a whole room to a desk or study is not only not feasible for many, but it’s also not practical for those only working at home one or two days a week, or those who only work from home during the recommended periods.
What we need is a flexible home office solution that does not waste valuable living space but at the same time provides a fully equipped, practical working environment to ensure that we are equally as productive working from home as we are in the office. Even once this winter is over. Traditionally, as a nation, we continue to go to work even when we have a cold, especially if we still feel well enough to work, despite having a cough or runny nose. Working from home is one of the most effective tools to prevent viruses’ like Covid from spreading and as a society we now have viable alternatives to calling in sick and should all be looking to work from home whenever we feel unwell.
Folding desks have become an excellent option for home offices, especially in smaller homes or flats. Typically, though these have been lightweight and susceptible to damage, especially if a careless bum happens to perch on them. DropTop.™ from Pith and Stem’s unique design however not only provides an extra-large work surface, but the reinforced desk is also strong enough to support a fully grown man standing on it meaning the desk will last for many cold and flu seasons to come!
Having integrated monitors built into the unit also means that DropTop.™ provides an instant home office setup equal to any office-based workstation. So even on an impromptu day off our productivity is not impacted. Out of sight and neatly hidden behind a framed wall canvas print also means DropTop.™ can be located in any room of the house without impacting your living space, giving you the best of both worlds of style and practicality.
Remember, although there may be a Plan B, there is no planet B. So not only does working from home limit the spread of viruses it reduces our carbon footprint massively. Travel and commuting are some of the biggest sources of carbon emissions in the UK. We can all help do our part by working from home as often as we can.