By Angelo Suanno, Junior Account Executive
In an ever-thriving technological world, the hybrid working model has forever changed the foundations of office-based jobs. The impacts of hybrid working are a point of discussion for many, predominately concerning physical and psychological wellbeing. However, according to recent news headlines, energy bills are set to slowly rise in price over the coming year. How will this affect people’s decision to work from home? Will this see an influx of people returning to the office? Is there anything we can do? – yes there is!
Here are the three tips to lower energy consumption in your home without impacting your quality of work.
#1 The sun is our friend.
The overwhelming desire to instantly turn on the lights in the morning, or at the first sign of impending darkness may be powerful, especially during the winter months. However, resist the urge for as long as possible, open the curtains fully and allow natural daylight into your home. Not only will this help reduce energy consumption and warm you up at home, but as a bonus, exposure to sunlight has also been shown to correlate with happiness and positive wellbeing. Remember: the sun is your friend.
#2 Standby still means on.
There is a growing concern that working from home has resulted in our monthly energy bills spiking ever so slightly. Leaving the laptop on for several hours a day or using an additional monitor to increase work productivity still has a cost, and who pays that cost, those who work from home. To prevent any unnecessary power drainage, don’t shut the laptop display or leave the monitor on standby overnight, turn everything off at the source when not in use or at the end of the day. It may not always be convenient to switch off during your lunch break if you’ve got a meeting straight after, try using power-saving mode to save you time and money.
#3 Wrap up, don’t crank up!
With the cold winter nights nearly at an end, it will almost be time to stop using the heating, but not just yet. While working from home may provide the opportunity to dress less formally from the waist below, resist the impulse to turn on the heating immediately after the first few cold shivers. Instead, layer up on clothing or rest a blanket on your lap, that way you’ll remain comfortable, warm, and formal, while also saving energy.
To sum up, in addition to the physical and psychological impacts of the hybrid working model, there will be a surge in both ecological and financial effects due to the slowly increasing energy prices, in the coming year. Will people continue to work from home knowing the extra price they’ll have to pay? What sacrifices will need to be made to maintain a balance between a professional yet sustainable working environment? Whatever the answers are, hopefully these tips will help you make your decision.
