Power Up for Outdoors: The Practicalities of Working Outside

Escape the confines of your cubicle this summer by taking your work outside.  Business Optimizer considers how to power up for the outdoors and the practicalities of working al fresco.

Being outside has been shown to have many benefits on our health and wellbeing.  It also has positive effects in terms of boosting creativity and productivity.

Little wonder then that some of the world’s most ambitious companies are embracing a biophilic approach to building design and creating spaces where employees can reconnect with nature.

Most of us, however, aren’t lucky to work for a company that has invested millions in shiny new campuses full of biospheres, treehouses or lush roof gardens.  So, what can we do instead to take our work outside and gain the benefits of reconnecting with nature and the great outdoors?

Make the most of technology to take your work outside

Luckily, advances in technology and connectivity and the continuing move towards working from home and flexible working make finding opportunities to work outside in nature much easier for many of us.

If your company allows such flexible working practices, it is easy to find ways to work outside or in nature with a little bit of preparation.

• Power source – investing in a good power pack or back up power source to your laptops own battery will help you work outdoors for longer. Solar charging may be a convenient low-cost option which doesn’t depend on remembering to charge your powerpack before you leave the office.
• Something to deal with the elements – whether you require a waterproof groundcover or a poncho for additional shade to avoid the glare of the sun’s rays on your computer screen, pack a lightweight bag of kit so you are ready to go whenever you have the opportunity.
• If you are simply heading to your own back garden, stay connected by investing in a Wi-Fi booster so you can still access your household Wi-Fi from your garden deckchair.
• If you can ditch the screens completely, a notepad and paper is a much more natural way to get your work done – it offers many other benefits as well as being easier to take anywhere.
• Alternatively, depending on how adventurous you intend to be in your outside working, a ruggedized case for your laptop or tablet may well be another good investment!

Create spaces to help employees take their work outside

For managers who want to enhance the health and happiness of their teams by facilitating outside working, creating flexibility is key.

• Work with HR to facilitate processes which enable staff to work remotely.
• Choose office space in buildings with green shared spaces – whether this means living walls in communal areas or ensuring Wi-Fi and power outlets are available in courtyard and shared outside spaces.
• Create spaces around your offices and buildings where people can work outside – with awnings, power outlets, and good Wi-Fi service.
• Introduce processes to enable staff to book outside shared spaces as they would any other meeting “room”.
• Encourage staff to get outside in other ways – making it easier to commute by bike or on foot, for example, or by scheduling walking meetings or team-building exercises outdoors.
• Take a leaf out of LL Bean’s book and create “pop-up” outside workspaces and meeting rooms at various office locations for a few weeks – it is a great way to test out the concept and get employee feedback before going ahead.

Discover the benefits of heading outside to work.