As lockdown looks set to be extended until mid-March and many business professionals continue to work remotely, a new study reveals that only now are workers investing in their home offices as they plan for the future.

A survey of 1,004 UK adults carried out by lighting supplier Ultra LEDs, found that 72% of workers are currently working from home as a result of the pandemic.

Although 28% of workers are happy to be working from home, more than 1 in 3 (35%) say that it is having a negative impact on their mental health.

Limited space (45%), feeling isolated from other team members (39%) and not having the right office equipment (32%) are the top things found to negatively be affecting workers' experience of working at home.

To help solve the problem, 47% of workers say they are going to invest in their home offices in 2021, with the average person planning to spend up to £200 to renovate their home working environment.

When asked where this money would be spent, 52% of workers say they will finally buy a desk, 43% plan to purchase an office chair, while more than 1 in 3 (38%) will treat themselves to a screen monitor.

Over 1 in 4 (27%) plan to invest in new lighting for their home office, 26% will buy a laptop stand, with a further 22% stating that a printer is one of their top priority purchases.

When asked if they would be happier working at home if they had a well-equipped office, a staggering 56% of respondents said they would be. In fact, 29% said they wouldn’t want to go back to the office full time in the future.

Paul Garner, Head of ECommerce at Ultra LEDs commented:

“As we approach a year into the pandemic, the uncertainty of what the future of office working remains unclear, as a significant portion of the UK continues to work remotely.

“For workers struggling with their home office working space, simple adjustments can be made which don’t need to break the bank. Comfortable seating makes all the difference, as it will provide you with back support and ensure your posture remains strong and upright throughout the working day. Lighting is another simple addition, as it can help set the mood of the room and provide a calming setting, especially during the winter when the days are shorter.”

Top ten home office purchases:

1. Desk (52%)
2. Office chair (43%)
3. Screen monitor (38%)
4. Office lighting (27%)
5. Laptop stand (26%)
6. Printer (22%)
7. Keyboard (19%)
8. Mouse (15%)
9. Notepad (14%)
10. Post it notes (11%)