Insights

We talk a lot about hybrid working here at Hotbox - hardly surprising for a company specialising in making products designed to power a hybrid workforce - and we know a fair bit about helping companies cross different cultural divides.

The future of commercial real estate in the UK is set to be dynamic and transformative, driven by flexibility, technology, sustainability, and evolving consumer behaviours. As businesses and investors adapt to these trends, the commercial real estate landscape will continue to evolve, offering new opportunities and challenges.

Wherever you find yourself setting up to work, you want a workspace that's not just functional, but that promotes good ergonomics, too, and utilising a stand-up desk is something many workers find beneficial. 

Creating a workplace that caters to diverse personalities isn't just a trend; it's a strategic investment in team satisfaction and success. Traditional office layouts often favour extroverted, task-oriented individuals with open-plan spaces and constant interaction. However, this setup may not suit everyone's needs.

We are very excited to be launching our brand new product, Hotbox 4, at this year's Clerkenwell Design week (24-26th May) Hotbox 4 is the product of a fruitful relationship with BroomeJenkins that began in 2019 with the design of our backpack Shuttle.

Valuing people and helping them maintain a healthy lifestyle is essential for every business. Whether you have a handful or hundreds of staff, there are many ways to improve their wellbeing. We found a few ideas for providing a good working environment for both mental and physical health.

There are lots of co-working spaces out there, but the market is getting crowded. Well-known workspace providers like Regus and WeWork are facing competition from smaller providers and hotels and pub desks. In future, you may even be able to pick up a latte and work at a hub at Starbucks.

A survey by AlphaWise, Morgan Stanley Research, says workers in the UK, Spain, Italy, France and Germany hope to work from home for two days a week post-pandemic. But if WFH will be permanent, how will it work for people living in small spaces?

In the third and last of my interviews with Oliver Heath of Oliver Heath Design, we discuss the use of colour. A subject close to every designer's heart!

Hotbox was one of the first brands to see the potential of personal, portable storage, making it the perfect company to solve some of the issues agile workers or digital nomads face, particularly after Covid.

Gone are the days when co-working meant grabbing a coffee and hoping you wouldn't get too many dirty looks from the staff when you plugged your laptop in to their 'secret' socket.

Why should businesses care about biophilic design? In my second interview with biophilic design adviser Oliver Heath of Oliver Health Design, we discuss the evidence that biophilic design works and the benefits for businesses when they introduce it into workspaces.

How do you find businesses or organisations that invest in, empower, and support women? To celebrate International Women's Day 2021 (IWD) and its theme #ChoosetoChallenge, we've done some digging for you. Here are five resourceful organisations and five supportive businesses that help women to prosper.

Biophilic design has become a talking point for anyone interested in the future of the workplace. But what is it and why all the interest? I asked biophilic design expert Oliver Heath, founder of sustainable architecture and interior design practice Oliver Health Design, to explain.

The world of work is changing as the world begins to adapt to life post-pandemic and whether we work in an office full-time or part-time, or from home full-time, or rent a corner of a shared office, we need to be more organised.

In recent years, the workplace landscape has transformed dramatically, evolving from traditional office setups to more flexible and dynamic environments. This shift has been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, but it reflects a deeper trend towards agile and hybrid working models.

As lockdowns come and go, it's more important than ever that your workspace is flexible and organised. Since we were all told to work from home in March 2020, social media has been full of people demonstrating their home-office set-ups, but how can you get it right?

1. Find Your Space

How and where we work is continually evolving, and staying organised is critical. Whether you're home-schooling or negotiating workspace and time alongside a partner who's doing the same, you need to find a workspace you can call your own - even if it's just for a few hours.

A Social Market Foundation study in 2015 found that happy employees are up to 20 per cent more productive than unhappy ones, so make sure the space you use for work is stress-free.

Try to avoid a workspace that is easily disturbed by others in your home. If you're lucky enough to have a door that you can shut, place a sign on it when you need privacy for business calls or thinking time.

2. Get Organised

Have everything to hand. You don't want to be moving around the house to find a pen or a notepad when the muse strikes.

Smart working spaces are critical - even if you pack it all up at the end of the day.

It sounds obvious, but make sure your chosen space has power for your charging cables. Avoid overloading the sockets or having cables trailing across the floor.

3. Be Tech-Smart

Use the technology that allows you to work smartly. Whether you're using a laptop or a desktop, ensure it has the apps you need and keep them updated.

If you use a laptop regularly, think about using a separate mouse and even a keyboard. If you speak to clients online regularly, invest in a separate microphone.

Avoid loneliness by using an online calendar for planning catch-up calls with work colleagues. Zoom, Teams and Meet aren't just for business.

4. Control Your Comfort

Ergonomic chairs and sleek sit-stand desks can be pricey, but the key is to design your own office that suits you. There's even a Greek-designed bed-desk hybrid that is beautifully-designed and useful if you are pushed for space.

If you're fortunate, some bosses fund home office set-up, particularly as home working continues.

Consider whether you need a large desk where you can spread out papers, designs and stationery or just a space for your laptop.

Many online bidding sites are a great place to find desks and chairs on a budget, and some local markets still have stalls where you can pick up a bargain that someone else has discarded.

5. Bring Nature In

Natural light and plants are proven to have a positive effect. Research by Norway's Agricultural University in Oslo indicated that plants remove harmful volatile organic compounds found in paint, carpet and furniture.

Get the lighting right: setting up next to a window with natural light will help your eyesight, and opening it to let fresh air in fits with the key pieces of advice from the United Nations on halting the spread of Coronavirus and other diseases.

Many online businesses supply plants that suit your environment. Pop to a local garden centre and ask one of their experts for advice. Many local markets also have plant growers who would be happy to help.

Make sure the space you create brings joy. It should be somewhere that allows you to be productive and creative.

For many people, the Pandemic and the associated Lockdowns have resulted in their first experience of working from home and for most parents, the introduction of Home Schooling.