The home office: A place of freedom and flexibility, but one that also presents us with challenges. Working within your own four walls not only has the the charm of being unbound, but also the potential of a tragicomedy – especially especially when you consider that our living and working spaces are increasinglyare increasingly merging.
The ambivalence of the home office: freedom versus tragicomedy
Imagine the home office as a stage on which the actors – ourselves, our partners, children, even pets – perform in a daily drama. A spectacle that often oscillates between productive zenith and chaotic nadir. Family members become colleagues, the kitchen becomes a conference room and the dining table becomes an office desk. This change requires not only organizational talent, but also a sense of humour to overcome the inevitable stumbling blocks.
Psychosocial dimensions: From loneliness to the balancing act as a couple
The psychosocial dimensions of working from home open up a whole range of scenarios. For example, there is the silent loneliness that grips us when the only daily conversation we have is with the letter carrier who delivers our Amazon parcels. Or the moment when our children don’t understand why mom or dad are physically present, but at the same time unreachable. The challenge of spending the whole day together as a couple without losing professional distance is another facet of this complex relationship game.
The lure of more work: the boundaries between work and private life are blurring
But working from home also leads to more work – without the natural breaks that an office routine offers. Lunch breaks are skipped and evenings are pushed back. Innovation and creative exchange fall by the wayside, as spontaneous conversations across the desk or in the coffee kitchen do not take place. Virtual interaction can only replace the real-life experience, the feeling of belonging and the shared laughter in the office to a limited extent.
The longing for the office: community, structure and inspiration
The equipment in the home office often leaves a lot to be desired. Ergonomic office swivel chairs are the exception, not the rule, and the kitchen table is converted into an all-purpose workstation. But in the confines of the city, where living space is a luxury, there is often no other choice. All this leads to a longing for the office – not just as a physical place, but as a communal space in which the sense of togetherness of a company can be felt.
Just like in a soccer stadium, where the shared experience, the emotions and the identification with the club are incomparable. In the office, spontaneous feedback and informal exchanges are possible, and clearly defined work and break times create structure. So it’s not just about bringing a homely atmosphere into the office, but also about a clear separation: the home as a place of retreat and the office as a place of creativity and productivity, equipped with the right work tools – from optimum office lighting to acoustics.
Conclusion: Well-designed offices motivate, inspire and bring us together.
A well-designed office promotes togetherness, identification with the company and creates a place where innovation and success thrive. Music and architecture have a direct impact on our mood and well-being – whether we realize it or not. In a world where space creates reality, it’s time to be bold and design places that inspire, motivate and bring us together. Because at the end of the day, it’s togetherness that drives us and allows us to achieve great things together.
Would you like to take your office to a new level and create a place of creativity? Or give your employees the opportunity to make the most of their home office? Feel free to contact us.
As experts in ergonomic and innovative office concepts and office furnishings, we are here to help you.
Your Christian Racuteanu
(To improve the readability of our blog posts, we use the generic masculine. All personal designations apply equally to both genders in order to avoid the simultaneous use of female and male language forms).
