Home office or garden office - which one is best for you?
2nd Sep 2019 Home & Garden
Working from home is becoming increasingly popular. The benefits of not having to commute to an office are reaped not only by the business but on a personal level too.
When working from home, it is important that you have a workstation to help you maintain a productive work environment and this can be achieved by either having a home or garden office. There are many pros and cons associated with having either workspace therefore to help you decide which type is best for you, the UK's premier retailer of quality garden and leisure buildings, GBC Group have outlined each in more detail below.
Home office
Pros
- A home office is great for childcare; if you have children, having a home office allows you to be there should they need you. If they’re old enough to be in a room by themselves you can leave them to play while you work, or if they’re very young and your work style allows they can be in the office with you napping or playing. Having the option to keep an eye on your little ones will not only bring peace of mind but will also cut down childcare costs.
- Perhaps surprisingly, working from home can often be a lonely experience. In comparison to working in an office, where you have your colleagues to confer with at any time, working from home can certainly become quite isolating. By having an office in your home, it allows you the opportunity to talk to other household members, you’ll certainly benefit from the additional human interaction.
- In general working from home can save you money, as you won’t have the expense of renting an office space. This results in keeping your overheads at a minimum which could really benefit the business from a financial perspective.
Cons
- When it comes to working within your own home, if you’re not focused then it’s very easy to get distracted. You may find yourself procrastinating and cleaning the dirty dishes or sorting the washing out, when really you need to be dedicating time to working. It’s important that you’re firm with yourself in terms of how your time should be allocated throughout the working day.
- Work, life balance should always be considered, and it is crucial you’re aware of the time you’re putting into working over your personal life. Having your home as your workplace could make it harder for you to switch off from work, when really your home should be there for you to rest, relax and have your downtime.
- If your business requires you to meet clients or customers, then working from home could cause potential issues in terms of accommodating meetings. To certain clients it could be deemed unprofessional if your place of meeting is within a home, so in some circumstances arranging meetings at local cafes or meeting rooms could be a more suitable option.
Garden office
Pros
- Having a garden office is very beneficial when wanting to keep your work and home life divided whilst still skipping the pain of commuting to the office every day. A short walk to the garden in a morning is a lot more pleasant but also allows you to switch off after a working day when going back to the house.
- An outdoor building in your garden can increase the value of your property. Whether you have a proper garden office or a summerhouse that you utilise as your place of work, when it comes to selling your home these additions can add as much as 5 to 7% to the value of your property, making it a sensible investment into your future.
- When working with clients or customers, it can give your business a more professional look to invite your guests to your garden office. Having a building dedicated to running your business leaves a good impression and also allows you to have a productive meeting without any interruptions or distractions if you were needing to host a meeting in an external space for example.
Cons
- In the long run, outdoor buildings can save you money, but the initial upfront cost can be quite daunting and depending on the building you choose the outlay cost can be quite pricey. Nonetheless it is an investment and will come back around as time goes on.
- Although having a garden office can be looked at as quite a professional alternative to renting an actual office space, in the grand scheme of things, they can take up a lot of room in your garden. You would also need to have an office clearance every so often to de-clutter. You must be willing to give up garden space to have one installed, which could result in less space to play in the garden with your children or to do any gardening.
During the colder months, if your garden office is not insulated properly then it can be quite cold. Working in cold environments can be demotivating and can be rather difficult which could result in having a negative impact on work. It is important that you get your garden office insulated correctly to ensure that this doesn’t happen.
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