If remote work became a necessity for you during the pandemic, you’re not alone. In fact, studies show that more than 36 percent of Americans were forced to work from home — at least part-time — during the pandemic. Even with the effects of COVID-19 slowly starting to subside, many workers aren’t ready to head back to the office.
The reality is that remote work is likely to remain a constant for many workers across the country. If this sounds like your situation, now is the time to consider creating a permanent office space in your home. Riley’s Carpet Cleaning presents this list of tips to help you design the ideal home office in a post-pandemic environment.
Create a Designated Home Office
If remote work, even if part-time, seems likely for the unforeseeable future, it’s important to create a designated space just for your home office. Ideally, this should be a separate space that’ll only be used for work purposes. Consider transforming a spare bedroom or storage space into a home office setting.
The good news is that creating a designated, fully functional home office may help increase the overall appraisal value of your home by as much as 10 percent. As you’re creating this space, take both before and after pictures and keep records of all upgrades and home improvements to help quantify the increase in your home’s value when you’re ready to sell.
Set Up the Ideal Space for Virtual Meetings
No matter what type of work you do, it’s highly likely you’ll have to host or participate in remote meetings from your home office. Be sure to set up a space in your office to hold these virtual events. Here are some things to keep in mind when creating this space.
- Create a minimalist background that’s free from clutter and other distractions.
- Lighting should always be placed in front of your desk to avoid shadows and glares.
- Have the right equipment, including a webcam and headphones.
- Conduct a test run prior to any meeting.
Invest in Contactless Service Technology
There’s plenty of technology available today to help business owners not only streamline the accounting process but also help provide contactless services. For example, popular services such as PayPal, Venmo, Apple Pay, and Google Pay all make accepting clients’ payments quick and easy. Additionally, software products such as QuickBooks, Wave Accounting, Sage, and Xero help track payments and send invoices and estimates all from one convenient platform.
You can also use services to help you complete various tasks associated with running your business. For example, if you need to complete your Utah state LLC registration, a company like ZenBusiness can ensure your paperwork is accurately filed with the proper authorities. That way, you won’t have to worry about any hiccups down the road.
Design a Safe Place for In-Person Meetings
In addition to virtual meetings, you should also be prepared to hold in-person meetings. Fortunately, there’s plenty of information available on how to create a safe space. Below are some tips to help you get started.
- Open windows: Opening the windows in your home office can ensure the area is well ventilated and help prevent the spread of COVID, along with other illnesses.
- Social distancing: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends maintaining a social distance of at least six feet from others. If it’s not possible to have visitors stand or sit six feet away from you, consider installing plexiglass to create a barrier.
- Masks for everyone: It’s not enough that you have a mask to wear if visitors come to your office—you should also have masks available for your guests to wear if they forget to bring one.
- UV in HVAC system: It’s believed that UV in the HVAC system can help kill certain types of germs and bacteria, possibly including COVID.
Taking the time now to create a designated home office space can improve work efficiencies as well as increase the value of your home. Use the tips above to help you develop a workplace that is safe, comfortable, and perfect for your business.
If the carpeting in your home office is starting to look a little worse for wear, get in touch with Riley’s Carpet Cleaning. Call (801) 525-0336 today to schedule an appointment.
Curtis Fisher created Tradesbright to highlight the stories of tradesmen and women who have raised the bar by going above and beyond to help a fellow neighbor, community member, or someone they happened across while on the job. Big or small, the acts of kindness deserve to be recognized!