The working-from-home revolution that came out of the pandemic has seen companies adopt a more flexible approach to where and when we work. As life becomes more normal than the 'before times', we're wondering about hidden costs of working from home.
A boiler company has done the maths and determined the financial impact of working from our makeshift home offices compared to commuting into a traditional office setting.
Of course, we save a huge amount in certain areas when staying at home... When WFH, we (on average) benefit from a gigantic 111% saving on lunches.
Hidden costs of working from home
We also save 52% on our daily coffees. However, we end up spending more on our household bills, while lighting and heating our homes.
Our annual spend on electricity rises by £268.62, according to HeatWise's research. The cost of electricity can rise by 18% for people who are working from home 5 days a week.
This is based on 8+ hours of electricity in a 3-bedroom home, so it may be less for those in small apartments or houses.
Research also showed that those working from home see a £5.04 a month increase in their heating bills. This means an annual cost of £55.44.
If you are concerned about the rising cost of heating your home due to the energy crisis, there are lots of energy-saving tips for the home that will all make a difference.
Remember to bleed radiators and turn them off in any rooms you aren't using. We also wrote about a £3 hack to cut your energy bills - they're all small tweaks that add up.
Not only are our bills higher, but we end up shortchanging ourselves by working for longer. The Office of National Statistics says that one-third of adults work more hours at home than they do in the office as work and home life blur.
Therefore, their salary works out to be less each hour. Whether you love the social interactions in between Zoom calls or find that you are way more productive at home, money is a huge factor in deciding where to work.
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