Broadband for working from home

Dan Howdle • October 23rd, 2024

Thanks to the emergence of COVID-19 (Coronavirus), many of us in the UK who have office-type jobs have switched to working from home, many permanently. It is vital then, for those of us that have the option to do so, that we ensure we have the right software and connectivity to make that possible.

In this guide, we will provide you with the best possible information on what you will need to make working from home as painless as possible, firstly from a broadband perspective (where most likely no action will be required on your part), and then looking at software you may need, how to create a comfortable working environment and what expenses, if any, you may be able to claim back from your employer.

Broadband for working from home

In ninety-nine out of a hundred cases, your existing home broadband connection is going to see you through. However, it does depend on what you do for a living. If you're a graphic designer, photographer, videographer or something else that deals with moving very large files around, you may wish to consider an upgrade, or even a 'side-grade' to a broadband package with similar speeds, but that is designed for a small business.

Business broadband packages you can get at home are offered by some broadband providers and offer things like higher upload speeds, cloud storage, free remote working software, web hosting and static IPs. A static IP can be required if, say, you're running a VPN (virtual private network) for yourself and your colleagues, or you need to log into someone else's network (your office's, say). Here are the home and business broadband providers we recommend checking out.

• BT Business – Offers numerous speeds, each with three differing levels of service available, with the more expensive packages offering IT support, expert setup, a static IP, an unbreakable Wi-Fi guarantee and more. The packages are available from 76Mbps all the way up to 900Mbps depending on your business needs
• TalkTalk Business – Offers several business packages, from 76Mbps, all the way up to 900Mbps. Static IPs are extra, depending on how many you need, but TalkTalk will provide 7-day support and free network security
• XLN – XLN doesn't do consumer broadband, but specialises in a service exclusively for small businesses. In that sense it has the jump on these other providers. It does one thing and it does it well.

Additional software you may wish to consider

Provided you have a desktop computer or laptop at home to go with your internet connection, there are a number of programmes and programme types that could make life a lot simpler if you have to work from home for a prolonged period. We're not going to recommend specific software, but we will give examples of some you may consider.

Also, remember that in most cases if you need special software or equipment your company is going to have to provide them. In some cases this may involve you procuring these things yourself and then claiming the cost back from your company as expenses. We have a section on that at the bottom of this guide. For now, let's look at the most useful types of software for home working.

• Remote desktop software – This is a platform that allows you to do all the things you can do on your office computer from a laptop or desktop computer at home. It achieves this by synchronising your services – mail, calendar, shared storage and so forth. The most popular and widely used versions of this type of software are RemotePC, Zoho Assist, Remote Utilities for Windows and Chrome Remote Desktop Manager to name a few.
• Shared cloud storage – If you work as a team and share files, you're going to need a repository for your work. Popular cloud storage solutions include iCloud (Apple), Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, Dropbox and others. With a bit of luck your company has its own servers for shared storage, but failing that any of the aforementioned will serve your purposes
• A realtime chat client and/or workflow software – If the projects you work on require people working on them simultaneously, a shared chat app such as Slack really helps. You can also use things like Google Meet/Google Chat, Microsoft Teams, or Skype, but Slack is designed specifically for work and so comes with a lot of useful features in that regard. To keep track of what you're all working on you may also wish to consider shared workflow software such as Trello. Like Slack, it's free
• Shared documents and spreadsheets – If there are multiple people working on specific documents, Google Sheets and Google Docs are the best solution out there. Like much of the software and storage solutions mentioned here they are free, and anything that isn't you should look to source either from your company or to reclaim via expenses

Creating a professional home working environment

If you're used to getting up in the morning to go work in an office or other professional environment, and then suddenly you don't have to move more than 20 feet from your bed to your desk, it can be tough to make the adjustment. By far the best strategy is to treat your home-work like your work-work, clocking in both dressed and on time and maintaining a high level of self-discipline. Here are our top tips to achieve that:

• Cordon off a working space – Find a space in your home where there are no distractions. Sure, you could sit in the lounge with a laptop on your lap and with the TV on in the background, but you're not going to get a lot of work done that way. If you don't have a quiet room with a desk, the kitchen or dining room table can make a good alternative. Be sure to have a chat with other members of your household up-front so they understand they must treat you as if you are at work and that although you are at home, the same threshold exists in terms of when it is or isn't okay to disturb you
• Be at your desk on time – Just treat home work like real work and be at your designated working spot on time – letting this time slip is only going to lead to complications, a less productive day and potential disciplinaries down the line
• Get up and get dressed same as a normal working day – This is usually the first thing people who have never worked from home do as soon as they have the opportunity: Begin work in their dressing gown/pyjamas. Don't do it. Not least of all because video calling is a thing these days, but most of all because it's unprofessional and does not set you into a positive working mindset
• Plan ahead for meals – When we're at work most of us have our eating routines down pat. Lunchtime between 12 and 1pm, for example, sandwich from Marks and Sparks. But when we're working from home we can eat pretty much whenever we want. Try to maintain the same eating pattern your body and brain are used to when you're at your place of work as it will help you to maintain your energy levels throughout the day

Expenses you may be able to claim from your employer

There may be aspects of working from home that are going to cost you more. Meals should be a little cheaper if anything and you may save money on petrol or on train or bus fares. But you also might need to buy additional software, or in the most extreme cases a new computer, printer or other piece of essential gear, or you may need to upgrade your broadband package. If you incur additional expenses such as these, you should agree in advance with your place of work on which costs you can and can't pass on to them.

• Additional computer equipment you need – If you need a new computer, monitor, printer, software or anything else to be able to work from home there is a good chance your company will pay for it. Just make sure to agree with them up-front what you can and can't charge to them. Buying a new iMac and them handing them the receipt is never going to go down well
• Additional furniture – Though you are working from home, believe it or not your company is still responsible for your health and safety during working hours. That means that if you need a proper office chair in order to avoid issues with your back, for example, your company must either supply it or reimburse you for the cost. Same goes for a desk and anything else you need to work comfortably
• Additional services – If you need faster internet, a different package, a new mobile SIM, software services such as Office 365 or anything else that constitutes a service that costs money, your company needs to cover this cost

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