Work from Home: Lessons Learned and Implications for Post-pandemic Workspaces

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Issue Vol. 6 No. 1 (2023)
Published Jan 30, 2023
Section Articles
Article downloads 1001
DOI: https://doi.org/10.7454/in.v6i1.259
Submitted : Sep 29, 2022 | Accepted : Jan 23, 2023
Beth L. McGee
Georgia Southern University, USA
blsmcgee@gmail.com
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8399-2898
Ryan J. Couillou
Georgia Southern University, USA
rcouillou@georgiasouthern.edu
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0717-5068
Kristjan Maalt
Near Nature, Denmark
kristjanmaalt@gmail.com

Abstract

The experience of working from home (WFH) has evolved due to the COVID-19 response. A concurrent mixed-methods approach was used to assess the experiences and needs of WFH during COVID-19 pandemic across eight countries. Input concerning office workspace modifications was also explored. Participants (n = 82) were from Asia, Europe, and North America. Participants were working from home more and indicated they were somewhat satisfied with WFH and saw no change in productivity. The most common experience was feeling distracted while others experienced focus or calmness. Most participants were challenged by the lack of appropriate furniture and equipment, as well as being distracted by technology and communication. Participants most frequently used dedicated workspaces and outdoor views. They preferred workspaces with natural light, neutral colours, and natural ventilation. Participants reported better thermal comfort and air quality when compared to their pre-pandemic office but less access to necessary equipment, collaboration, and communication. WFH during the pandemic challenged how people worked and shifted their experience of home interiority. The key outcomes show support for hybrid work options as well as design strategies offered for accommodating home offices in the future. 

Keywords: COVID-19, biophilic design, work from home, office design, post-pandemic design

Article Details

How to Cite
McGee, B. L., Couillou, R. J., & Maalt, K. (2023). Work from Home: Lessons Learned and Implications for Post-pandemic Workspaces . Interiority, 6(1), 91–114. https://doi.org/10.7454/in.v6i1.259
Author Biographies

Beth L. McGee, Georgia Southern University, USA

Beth L. McGee is an Assistant Professor at Georgia Southern University in the School of Human Ecology. Her Ph.D. degree is from the University of Florida in the college of Design, Construction and Planning with a concentration in interior design. She has passed the NCIDQ exam and is also a LEED AP.  Her personal focus areas for teaching, scholarship, and service are through service learning and biophilic (nature-inspired) design. She follows a mission to do good through design by working with people to integrate diverse perspectives into the design process from the beginning. This is to increase beneficial choices, reduce waste, and increase the opportunity for voices to be heard with the optimal outcomes including greater place attachment and more environmentally responsible actions.

Ryan J. Couillou, Georgia Southern University, USA

Ryan J. Couillou is a licensed psychologist and an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Georgia Southern University.  His primary research focuses broadly on community and university engagement.  His research also focuses on professional development of graduate trainees.  Dr. Couillou is cofounder of The REFLECT Program—a collaborative consultation, outreach, and action research program geared toward enhancing mental health and wellness in communities.

Kristjan Maalt, Near Nature, Denmark

Kristjan Maalt is an entrepreneur, digital privacy advocate, and researcher. His goals are always fundamentally connected to improving the human condition by developing better services and processes that benefit our well-being and quality of life. He currently resides in Denmark, where he works on building partnerships for GDPR compliance. He has an MSc in Information Science and was one of the Top Tech Talents in Denmark in 2021. His work in biophilic design awareness and research is done under Near Nature, a biophilic design agency.

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