Staples’ Convertible Wall-Mount Desk by Homenations - Photo: Staples
To meet what many see as a permanent shift toward remote working coming out of the pandemic, Staples last week launched the Work From Home (WFH) Style Squad, a group of experts sharing design advice, product picks and tips to help customers reimagine their home workspaces.
Overseen by interior designer and star of the HGTV reality show, “Hidden Potential,” Jasmine Roth, the site, staplesconnect.com/workspace, offers inspiration from “designers, entrepreneurs and creatives” on outfitting work-from-home (WFH) spaces, from furniture to lighting and the latest technology.
Staples cited a Gallup poll from last October in which 76 percent of workers reported their employer is allowing partial remote work going forward.
Marshall Warkentin, chief marketing and merchandising officer, Staples US Retail, said in a statement, “With so many of our customers settling into a more long-term work from home situation, Staples is continuously updating our assortment to make sure we carry new, stylish pieces to offer them a total home office solution.”
Lowe’s, Home Depot and Best Buy have similarly cited opportunities to benefit from upgrades to home work environments.
Also seen benefiting from the WFH trend are grocers, as many workers increasingly eat at home rather than using take-out near their offices.
Nestlé SA said last week that its coffee business saw the biggest contributor to organic sales growth last year, boosted by WFH-demand.
“Even when you step away from the pandemic, everyone has learned a flexible work-life pattern, everyone is working from home more,” Nestlé’s CEO Mark Schneider said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal.
PGA Tour Superstore and Central Garden & Pet Company are among other retailers citing remote working as a trend that is creating a tailwind as people spend more time in their households.
WFH is finally believed to have accelerated the casualization trend to support categories ranging from athleisure to denim and sleepwear. Jerome Griffith, CEO at Lands' End, said on a quarterly call last year, “As more companies embrace a hybrid in-office work-from-home approach, we expect comfort to remain a priority, driving more casual wear-to-work aesthetic.”