New report looks at changing working from home patterns

New analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies has looked at the effect of coronavirus on commuting patterns. It argues that working from home is likely to be "disproportionately effective" at reducing public transport congestion, and that workers in certain industries, such as finance, are more able to work from hom and as a result "getting workers in these sectors to continue to work from home will therefore be extremely important".

“Returning to their work, while maintaining social distancing, will clearly be difficult for those who commute using public transport," said Alex Davenport, a Research Economist at IFS. "This is particularly true in London, and especially so among younger workers in London. Fortunately, many who previously used public transport are able to work from home. If social distancing on public transport is to be achieved then getting these workers to continue to work from home will be very important. In contrast re-opening the hospitality sector will create a particular challenge as many workers in this sector cannot work from home and were relatively heavy users of public transport to get to work.” 

The full report is available as a pdf here.  Image courtesy Modern Garden Rooms.

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The Handwritten Letter Appreciation Society: Letter to My Shed

A really lovely letter by Dinah Johnson, founder of The Handwritten Letter Appreciation Society, to her writing shed, extolling its myriad attractions, uses, and comforts in these lockdown times. Here's how it starts:

I’m not sure about writing to inanimate objects but well, I felt you deserved a special mention in all this mayhem, madness and sadness because you really have been like a lovely friend throughout.

Mainly thank you for saving my sanity by being a little refuge away from it all. You have properly felt like a safe harbour away from pings and news and all that malarkey. I do feel a bit bad that I’ve rather commandeered you for my Society. I know I have a whole corner of the living room too but you are by far much more appealing (don’t tell the living room that!). I can’t remember when we bought you. It might’ve been BC (Before Children, not Before Coronavirus) but without a doubt I absolutely love you!

You can - and should! - read the rest of it here.
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How to rent a garden office in your own garden

Renting a garden office may soon become very popular. Booths Garden Studios has, unsurprisingly, seen a big upturn in business recently (they are also training more fitters as a result) as Iain Wetherell from Booths explains: “We have had almost 200 enquiries for our studios in the last month and feedback from those that have had them installed has been really positive."

Booths Garden Studios also offers a rentable option with rcosts starting from £30 + VAT per week. "The office studios offer an attractive proposition," says Iain, "as they don’t require planning permission for most properties, are zero maintenance due to their coated steel construction and all of the rent paid is classed as an allowable business expense. Some of our customers have said they have saved money by renting, because it eliminated other costs such as business rates, travel costs and parking fees."
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Writer’s garden office

A lovely garden office on a large site from 3rdSpace for a writer and broadcaster in Suffolk. It has black timber cladding, aluminium windows, and velux roof lights with rain sensors.

"We helped to work through the list of options for each of the possible locations," says 3rdSpace's Ben Couture, "of which there were four possible spots, that we first narrowed down to two. The option furthest from the house would have offered a pleasing outlook, nestled under tall pines, however at certain times of year would have been showered with grenade-sized pine cones.

"As part of the design process, we were able to offer a series of 3D visualisations which aided in deciding where the office would go. The main property on the site benefits from large panels of full-height glazing to all sizes, so it was important that the view towards the garden office was carefully considered. The office itself allows our customer the ideal balance of privacy, security and views – being orientated to face the main glazing away from the house, but with slim windows positioned to create enough visual connection back to the property." --------------------------------------

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Working safely during COVID-19 in the garden office

There's no specific government advice for shedworkers but this new document available from their website does go into some detail with steps to make your office COVID secure. It is well worth reading, even if some elements may not be directly applicable to you.

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Security measures for garden offices

This is a guest post by Tom Brialey, founder of Action Storage.

As a result of the country’s ongoing lockdown, garden office workers are no longer in the minority of Britain's workforce. As the need to complete professional duties from the comfort of a remote working station continues, home workers across the country are embracing the advantages of investing in a dedicated garden office.

Today, we’re exploring some essential security considerations and safeguards for anyone just starting out as a shed or garden room worker, and sharing guidance for those looking to upgrade their garden office space.

Review your security cameras 

With CCTV thought to be a deterrent to those who are considering committing a crime, this should be a key consideration if you’re looking to level up your garden security. If you already have CCTV installed, now’s the time to ensure that your equipment actually works - so consider carrying out maintenance checks on all of your cameras.

Next, you’ll want to ensure they’re actually covering key areas. If possible, make sure any entrances and windows are covered by your cameras, in the hopes that would-be-thieves will think twice about approaching your property.

Check your windows and doors 

Whether you’re turning your shed into a home office or you’ve built a room specifically to serve these needs, one thing you’ll need to consider is the reliability of the windows and doors. This is especially important for older buildings.

Safety may not have been top of your priority list when your shed housed garden tools and plants, but, with your expensive tech tucked away inside, you’ll want to make sure your doors and windows are properly secured. Start by checking the seals of each window in your garden room and make sure that they close properly. After this, for windows and doors that have locks, make sure to establish that these still work as they should. If you’re keen to ensure your garden office is as airtight as possible, it’s well worth considering upgrading to double glazed windows and doors for added protection.

Consider your alarm options 

Outside buildings are often overlooked when it comes to security, making them a tempting target for criminals. Alarmed doors and windows are a great way to provide you with peace of mind that you’ll be alerted, should anyone try to get into your garden office without your permission. So, to ensure you find the right products for you, identify the best option for your needs before you buy.

If you want to take your alarm system one step further, you could look into motion sensor alarms. These are designed to detect changes in motion within the area they cover - so you could activate them once you’re finished in that area of garden for the day and know you’re not likely to trigger them yourself. You’ll want to think carefully about this, though, as the last thing you want is a bird or cat triggering the alarm every evening.

Invest in lockable storage

If your garden building is separate to the rest of your house, you’ll probably want to think about how to keep items that stay in this building overnight safe - and this is where it could be worthwhile exploring your storage options for any high-end items that will be permanently left inside the shed or garden room. For laptops, voice assistants and other small tech or stationery items, secure storage lockers with lock pads are the ideal solution. This way, you can safely lock away any expensive items and rest assured that they’ll remain out of harm’s way overnight - as well as being protected from any potential water damage, should the garden room spring an unexpected leak.

On top of all of this, there are a couple of other measures you can take to keep your garden room as safe as possible. These include things like keeping valuables out of sight and asking a neighbour to keep an eye on your house and garden room if you’re out of town. With these essential security measures in place, you can enjoy a safe and productive garden office environment for as long as is needed.
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Shedworkers in lockdown: Ann Limb

Today we're starting a new (ir)regular column showcasing shedworkers' garden offices during the lockdown. First up is the very busy Buckinghamshire-based Ann Limb, a mentor, coach, business and chairty governance specialist, and chair of The Scout Association. Describing her work day represented by the images above she says: 

"Commute to work - morning in garden office on Zoom meetings on Devolution with @CentreforCities; lunch from works canteen and now discussion with East of England APPG @UKICNews on the East’s contribution and the Innovation Corridor’s role in helping the economy and communities post Covid19"

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