According to the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has put a real strain on the industry, with 43% of residential architects experiencing revenue losses earlier in the year as interest in new projects waned.

Since then, a shift in working conditions centering on working from home has allowed for cost recovery, a trend that is amplified by a shift in technology. A new emphasis on virtual collaboration and the management of data that takes remote work situations into account are two ways that the response to the pandemic has restructured the architectural workplace — perhaps for good.

Working from home has been a boon to many firms, allowing them to expand their talent and project pools while drastically lowering costs and overhead.

Still, there are many elements that firms must get right to maintain success with a partially — or primarily — work-from-home staff.

We’ve curated some of the fastest trending tips for architects to help you optimize your home office space for the greatest efficiency.

Tips for Architects: How to Make Your Work-from-Home Office More Efficient

Now that more firms allow architects to conduct business from home, it is more important than ever to have an organized space and a suite of tools that can assist you in providing clients or business partners with high-quality end products.

But an efficient home office isn’t just about a desk and tools — it’s also about planning out your time so you can work effectively.

Here are a few tips to help you create a workable, productivity-enhancing home office space.

The Importance of Routine

Working from home still means working. To remove the spillover of home life into your workspace, set a specific routine and keep to it.

If you typically work an eight-to-five day, stick with that timeframe, making sure that you have plenty of time to decompress over lunch and a coffee break or two.

However, if you consistently collaborate with colleagues in other time zones, you might find it advantageous to reconstruct your workday to dovetail with their hours more efficiently. The bonus? You may get an extra hour — or two — to sleep in.

Design Your Space to Function Well

You’re an architect, which means you have a leg up on the average remote worker because you understand how to design a space that functions correctly.

Make sure you use your knowledge to create a good home office area, ergonomic, and above all, functional. If your home doesn’t have an office space, dedicate a specific area of a quiet room as your work area.

Stay Connected with Virtual Meetings

For architects, video meetings using voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) systems for cost savings can be a real-time — and project — saver. Being able to see your clients or colleagues is essential when sharing design ideas.

Unique technologies such as interactive whiteboards can help bring designs, plans, and artistic renderings to life for clients, allowing ideas to be easily shared in brilliant color and in real-time.

Move Projects into the Cloud

Transferring creative ideas, projects, and other data to the cloud can allow you to share information securely and efficiently with clients and colleagues. Cloud access not only puts mission-critical information at your fingertips, whether you are working from the office or at home, but it also gives you an extra layer of security to protect sensitive or proprietary data.

Let Blue Technologies Help Your Firm Maximize Efficiency for Your Remote Staff

At Blue Technologies, we understand that the shift to remote working can cause a significant adjustment for firms, managers, and staff, as well as your valued clients.

Our team of IT experts has a suite of tools and technologies to help you deploy to allow your remote staff to reach new efficiency levels.

For example, our print and document management and cloud-based solutions can put essential information within reach of in-house and remote workers alike to allow for easy sharing and collaboration while maintaining control to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive or proprietary information.

We also offer state-of-the-art VoIP phone systems to keep your team members connected via phone, computer, or video for the effective, efficient collaboration that keeps your projects on time and target.

Help your remote team master the art of working from home. Contact a Blue Technologies consultant today and find out how our unique combination of talent and tools can help you increase efficiency and keep your business on target.