Freelancers now make up over 35% of the U.S workforce and the stats show no sign of stopping.
(Image source: MaxPixel)
According to recent stats, 51.6% of businesses in the United States are run out of the home. Usually starting life in someone’s basement, bedroom or any available corner within the business owner’s property. So having a good home office if you’re an entrepreneur or freelancer is something that is invaluable to your success.
As smart technology advances and the Internet of Things (IoT) becomes commonplace in everyday living, working from home will get easier and easier. Allowing constant connectivity and ease of communication with any colleague, business partner, client or supplier at any time of the day. Here are some of the features we can expect from the future home office:
- Smart Wearables
Wearable technology will essentially become your ‘remote office’, allowing you to access emails, messaging and even document sharing from wearable pieces such as a smart watch hooked up to your phone, or even smart glasses that give you hands-free capabilities. Google Glass 2.0 is an early example of this in the making, and is an indication of what could become hugely popular in the future. For busy freelancers, this makes every room in your home the perfect office environment, as well as your car, the park, or a local coffee shop.
- Optimal Working Environments
One of the sacrifices that the freelancer usually has to make when first starting out is perhaps the comfort of a real office setting. This often means having rooms that double up as personal and business spaces, or making the best of a dining room table when there’s no room for an office desk. But the future of home working could be different with connected environments. The future tech of your home will make entrepreneurship incredibly comfortable. From connected light bulbs and thermostats that can adjust to your needs to smart windows that can let in the perfect amount of light to reduce screen glare, there are many things that could make working from home a dream.
And because home heating will become intelligent, you won’t have to worry about bills rising. Smart thermostats are a great way of cutting back on consumption, reducing your monthly spending and managing your carbon footprint in a responsible way.
- Enhanced Home Security
As well as better home heating, you will also be able to benefit from advanced security. Smart home security systems are already becoming incredibly popular. While some of the key benefits appeal more to households with full-time employment, they are also useful for those who run their businesses from home and store valuable assets, machinery, equipment or even stock. Smart security allows you to monitor your property even when you are away on a business trip or on holiday with your family, and can give you full control of your system which can be accessed remotely at any time, from any place. For freelancers and home workers, that means enjoying the same security benefits of a serviced office.
Entering into the IoT age, we will see more advancements that can help the at-home freelancer build their office environment. From security to communications tech that can improve remote working, entrepreneurship will be better supported in years to come.
- The Future of the Home Office: Freelancing in the New IoT Age - April 20, 2018