With a sizeable number of companies asking their employees to work from home till the end of the year, the concept of \u201chome office\u201d is coming into sharper focus. The accent is largely on ergonomic comfort, and to make sure that employees invest in this essential, some companies offer them an allowance.<\/p>\n
There is an unmistakable trace of pride in her voice, as Anika Tanwar discusses a corner of her home, where she has raised an office with the \u20b910,000 allowance her company extended to her. <\/p>\n
Bobble AI, a tech start-up based in Gurugram, offered its employees the option of either renting out furniture or buying them, and Anika chose the latter option. <\/p>\n
She bought a foldable and compact work desk along with a swivel chair that came with a backrest, armrest and height adjustment feature.<\/p>\n
Anika wanted the the work desk to fit neatly into a corner of her bedroom, and add to room\u2019s aesthetics. <\/p>\n
She points out that her work table that can hold a small plant and has a diary and water bottle holder, along with the laptop. \u201cI now feel like I have created a physical and mental space where I can work more productively,\u201d she exults.<\/p>\n
Some companies have either engineered a tie-up with rental furniture providers or have increased the scope of existing allowances to include WFH furniture.<\/p>\n
Razorpay started offering a monthly remote working allowance of \u20b9 1500 to every employee so that they can rent office furniture, upgrade the broadband connection, or spend on any other essential. It has also partnered with Rentlite to help its employees find furniture on rent.<\/p>\n
Microsoft has extended its policies to enable employees to procure the right equipment, including ergonomic furniture. <\/p>\n
Standard Chartered bank has come up with an arrangement with Featherlite where 100 ergonomic chairs had to be delivered to its employees\u2019 homes in Chennai.<\/p>\n
Furniture sellers underline a spurt in demand for ergonomic chairs since the lockdown began, and point out that some employers placed bulk orders to help their employees. With delivery channels opening up now, many individuals have started placing orders. <\/p>\n
At Godrej Interio, one of the most searched products is a work chair, more specifically a motion chair. \u201cThis chair is unique as it is designed on the principle of active seating,\u201d says Sameer Joshi, associate vice president, marketing (B2B), Godrej Interio. The seating is said to promote movement and improve posture. <\/p>\n
Furniture makers are offering furniture adapted to a particular metier.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor someone who would be desk-bound for long hours, we offer a desk that can hold many things. For those in creative pursuits, a desk that can be moved easily,\u201d says Sidhant Lamba, founder, Fabrento, an online furniture renting service, which is launching a new range of desks. <\/p>\n
Co-living spaces is another segment that is introducing changes since WFH became so widespread. <\/p>\n
\u201cIn a majority of co-living spaces, the room would have a wardrobe and bed and not necessarily a desk. Home owners are in talks with us about incorporating a WFH set-up into their rooms,\u201d says Lamba. <\/p>\n
Similarly, Godrej Interio is promoting furniture solutions that are aligned with the rest of the home furniture. <\/p>\n
\u201cThere is high demand for this range, which include interactive poufs, easy seat \u2014 a foldable chair, flip \u2014 a foldable desk, computer tables and study tables,\u201d says Joshi.<\/p>\n
Multifunctional modular products are also in demand. \u201cFinding multiple uses for a space, they are ideal for smart homes and studio apartments where space is a constraint,\u201d says Joshi.<\/p>\n
There is also a market for services to establish elaborate home-offices. <\/p>\n
Coworking space provider Awfis has launched Awfis@Home that attends to the A-to-Z of establishing a home office starting with assessing the home, enhancing physical infrastructure with smart furniture and offering technology support like broadband connection and collaboration tools. This service works on a monthly subscription model starting at \u20b9 2500. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n