Employers across the world were forced to switch from office working to home-based employment because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Some have started to return to an office-based model, but many are allowing staff who want to work from home to continue to do so on a hybrid basis. You are most probably among them!

The bank UBS is one of a growing number of large employers which are allowing most staff to mix working from home and office permanently. A Computer Weekly survey found that more than two-thirds of staff will be expected to continue working remotely on an ongoing basis.

More than 80% of employees told an Accenture survey that they preferred a hybrid working regime, and the CIPD (Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development) found that of 2,000 employers surveyed, 63% intended to introduce or expand a mixture of remote and on-site working.

Working from home – on a part- or full-time basis - is the new normal. Some 80% of respondents to the Get Britain Standing Annual Sitting Survey 2021 said they had switched to home working, and almost a third of workers said they were using a standing desk – up from 19% a year earlier. A revolution in residential and office accommodation is under way.

The pandemic housing boom has affected what we want from our homes. Top of the list is space, and housing developers are already beginning to incorporate design changes for the homeworking trend.

In an American Institute of Architects survey, 68% reported an increase in demand for home offices in design / build projects. If you’re looking for a new home, an area that can be used as a workspace is definitely on the ‘want’ list, but if a move is not on the cards, where can you set up your home office? A corner of the living room, spare bedroom or niche under the stairs is popular with many. There’s also been a boom in demand for garden rooms. Most of us, however, have had to find space wherever we can.

If you’re turning an existing area of your home into a work zone, whatever you use as a desk must fit neatly and look good even when you are not working. Yo-Yo DESK® electric standing desks come in a wide offer a variety of colours and materials for legs and desktops. Best-selling sit-stand desktops include stylish pale timber, dark anthracite oak, as well as black and white. You can browse the whole range of options here.

A height adjustable desk is the perfect multi-functional work surface if you are working from home. Our adjustable sit-stand desks go low enough for a child, and high enough to use as a hobby space for crafting, electronics, model-making etc. Of course, our Yo-Yo DESK® PRO has sufficient settings to make it ideal for working whether seated or standing; the compact Yo-Yo DESK® PRO 1 model gets 5/5 from Trustpilot reviewers.

When planning your workspace, focus on two essentials: convenience and comfort.

Your desk should be easy to access and use. Having to remove all your equipment – laptop, folders etc - once you’ve finished working is necessary for some, but setting aside a bespoke space that you don’t have to clear at the end of every working day will make homeworking convenient and feasible long term.

Your seating solution should be comfortable yet ergonomic. Do not think you can use a dining chair or Swiss ball long-term if you have any regard for your musculoskeletal health. Whatever you choose, your seat needs to promote good posture. For use with a stand-up desk, we recommend a perch stool such as the Muvman or Ongo FREE which is stylish, durable and extremely comfortable. Before you decide on your active seating solution, ask yourself these questions:

1. Is it height-adjustable, does it encourage movement?
   Your next position is your best position, so any office seat or stool should nudge you to move more: up/down or from side to side, whether you are seated or using it to lean on while standing.
2. Will it improve my posture?
   Ideally, any active seating solution will encourage you to move your hips forward, and bring positive alignment to your spine. It should strengthen your abs as well as other muscles, thus reducing back strain and preventing stress build-up in your shoulders. Check out our tips on the benefits of active seating and how to make the right decision for your home office.

Yo-Yo DESK® is the expert supplier of workplace equipment – desk, seating and accessories – which will suit your working style and home at the same time as protecting and even improving your health. In seven years, we have sold 250,000 office wellness solutions to more than 30,000 home and office workplaces, enabling desk-based staff across the world to enjoy the benefits of being more active.

Our sales team receive regular training in every item and can advise which are best for your needs. In addition, we proudly offer a free trial of many of our solutions so you can road test our standing desks and standing desk converters to see whether they work in your space.

Get in touch for information about current offers. Don’t put it off: if working from home is your new norm, make sure your set-up is the best you can get.