Five reasons to love your office

It’s dark and cold outside, and you're probably wondering why you’ve bothered getting out of bed to come into work today. Wouldn’t it have been better to stay in the warm at home? You could be typing away on your laptop, sitting in your PJs drinking your PG Tips and have your to-do list ready to go. While some see this as the holy grail, give some thought to what you’d miss by skipping the office. Read our top five reasons for why it’s worth heading into the office.

1. Location, location, location

Working in town definitely has advantages – great cafes and lunch spots to try during the day and in the evening you may even be tempted by a few local bars or restaurants. It’s handy for errands if you need to pop to the bank, post office or head to the gym on your lunch break. If you’re working in a business park, then there’s often a choice of lunch and coffee vans winging their way to your door at lunchtime – you wouldn’t get that at home! Out-of-town businesses are also placing an emphasis on the employee experience through creating destination workplaces - somewhere that provides real perks for employees every day. From gyms to beauty treatments, shops and on-site cafes, chances are that these destination workplaces will have a fair few more facilities than your front room.

2. Great Facilities

Fast WiFi and heating are probably just the beginning. There’s also someone around all day to sign for letters and parcels so you can still receive deliveries even if you’re in a meeting or need to head out. Some offices go that extra mile to provide a stellar stand-out experience that really provides a wow factor. AMC Networks has an on-site cinema, Anomaly has an in-house bar with views of the London skyline, FirstRand has a games room, whilst Nuffield Health treat their staff with a gym and a juice bar!

3. Collaboration

We’ve all heard the phrase ‘two heads are better than one’ – so what happens when you get a whole business of people together? When people are working in the same workspace, they share ideas, collaborate, and come up with the next big innovation. This increase in serendipitous interaction is something that doesn’t come from instant messaging and Skype calls, but from interacting with your colleagues face-to-face through chance encounters. It’s not as easy when you’re working at home alone – sure you can give someone a call, but there’s nothing quite like the incidental conversations that occur when someone is just passing by or when you’re making a coffee together.

4. Boosted Productivity

From providing an ergonomic workstation for desk-based work, to breakout areas that let you collaborate with colleagues, and even private booths for when you feel like concentrating and getting away from it all - your office is probably more tailored to your daily routine than you give it credit for. Offering spaces for different tasks, also referred to as ‘activity-based working’ boosts productivity as people have the choice to work in a space that suits their current mood or activity. So, unlike a cafe which provides you with one seat and a small table for your hunched-over laptop session, your office provides a space for everything that you could want to do throughout the day.

5. Social Scene

Many of us spend more time at work than anywhere else. We often chat with our colleagues more than we see some friends, so it’s no surprise that the office is where so many friendships are formed. Social interaction in the office helps us feel happy at work and connect with our colleagues. A thriving social scene helps to boost engagement and improve retention. Let’s face it, where else would you find a ready-made group of people to go for a beer with?