The pandemic shift to work from home is likely here to stay. These furniture companies are ready with what the consumer needs for home offices.
The coronavirus pandemic of 2020 has catapulted an entire segment of the workforce into work-from-home situations whether they wanted it or not. What may not be as well known a statistic, however, is that prior to the pandemic, 5 million people were already working from home at least half of the time, approximately 3.6 percent of the U.S. workforce.
While 2020 certainly elevated that percentage along with the need for home office furniture and accessories, it had been an area ripe for growth pre-pandemic, with telecommuting quietly growing on its own prior to COVID-19.
As with consumer adoption of technology, 2020 simply pushed the home office further into the family domain more quickly. The number of telecommuting employees had grown 173 percent since 2005. Even so, only 7 percent of employers throughout the U.S. had offered work-from-home flexibility. By 2028, however, one study estimates that 73 percent of departments will offer some type of work-from-home option.
The ability to work from home saves more than time for most employees. With commutes gone, there is more leisure time available, but for many, working from home also means less expense. It’s estimated that as employers continue to offer at least part-time work-from-home options, it can generate savings of approximately $44 billion a year for employees who benefit from saving on costs associated with commuting and even eating lunch at home.