Hybrid Work Spaces: Tips to outfit your workspace at home, the office | Loop Jamaica

Black Immigrant Daily News

With the pandemic having upended the work world in many ways, a hybrid approach to work seemed like the next natural step.

And, with a mix of working from home and working in the office becoming increasingly normal, it is important to ensure that both spaces are catered to your comfort.

When working from home, what you need is a home office, not a hastily thrown together space, but a properly designed and thought out bonafide office that is exclusively yours and customised to your specific needs.

The riser is a great addition to your office space whether at home or in the office. (Photo: Contributed)

When heading into the office, what you require is an office furniture that is ergonomically efficient and boosts productivity.

This is where interior designer Michelle Subaran comes in. With over 25 years of expertise in design architecture under her belt, she knows how to make any area feel not only spacious but sensible.

In partnership with Stationery and Office Supplies Limited (SOS), Subaran has shared a few furniture additions that work well both at home and in the office.

According to the design doyenne, “ergonomics often speaks to the design of specific pieces of furniture”, equating to comfort.

A home office for multiple users. (Photo: Contributed)

“And comfort”, Subaran adds, whether in the home or office, speaks volumes to productivity and good posture. Sitting in a poorly designed chair can affect your health in the long run and we tend to overlook the important investment that a good chair [provides],” she said.

“Sometimes you may have an existing chair but might have to amplify it based on specific needs. For example, you may need to add a back roll, if you have lower back issues. If you are not very tall, you might want a footrest to elevate your feet so that you have more control over your knee-to-floor ratio.”

“Things like the adjustable armrest, tilt in the back, adjustable seat height…all those things give you the ability to customise the ergonomics,” Subaran informs.

Getting to that happy place mentally where you can ensure that your output matches your outlook, starts first with basic things such as natural lighting, good ventilation and properly designed furniture.

Another good addition is the riser feature, which can be a good addition to your desk.

The significance of proper ergonomics, according to Subaran, should never be ignored; being ergonomically elevated equates to comfort, which speaks volumes to both productivity and one’s bearings.

“Following a long stint at home, persons heading into office must now be aware of social contact as a ‘new’ form of fatigue. Offices must now revise furniture layouts to expand the space or consider adding dividers and soundproofing as a few options to help transition staff into shared spaces,” Subaran shared.

Good furniture is just a part of what you will need to be ‘zen’ in your own space.

According to the designer, staying healthy both physically and mentally is not always about making drastic or big changes at once.

“It can be small incremental changes that over time become new lifestyle habits that are easy to incorporate into your routine.”

“Other factors include a comfortable break room or lunch room with appropriate furniture and adequate access to hygienic bathroom facilities and furnishings that facilitate productivity based on work being done. All these factors contribute to any workspace being a healthy one.”

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