Table 6. Contrasting Interview Participant Estimations

Table 6

Contrasting Interview Participant Estimations

Participant 1 Participant 2 Participant 3 Participant 4 Participant 5

No. of People in Home No. of Pets in Home House Size

2 (adults)

(User Group 1)

2 (dog/cat) Moderate Detached Home 2-Level Studio Condo Moderate Detached Home Moderate Detached Home 1-Bedroom Basement Appt

WFH Experience Since COVID

Workspace

Converted Spare

Room to Office

Work Schedule WFH or Return to Office PostPandemic Distractions

Replacing Commute/ End of workday Supportive/ Refuge/ Haven

Experienced Emotions

Workspace Desire/ Change

8:30 to 5-6

Interested in hybrid but may not be offered Continue, reveals they will never return to office Wants to return to office / place of work Interested in hybrid opportunity Return to office / Place of work

Pets, Phone, Social Media Dinner Prep/Cook, Converse with partner Basement, Living Space, Alcohol, Virtual Hangouts Dog, Bed, Bath, Cannabis Natural light, Living room, Plants, Backyard, Renos/Crafts Dog, Living with others, Bedroom, Outside, Barn/Horses Cat, Bedroom, Reading Nook, Play music instruments

Anxiety, Depression

Nothing, current setup is ideal 1

(User Group 1) 1 (dog)

3.5 years (Pre-COVID)

Bed, Desk (in room), Couch, Kitchen Island 8:00 to 4:00 (morning and night side job)

Dog, to do list Cannabis, Cook, Car ride, Side job (music industry)

Somber Mornings, Exhaustion

Change occurred with recent move

3 (2 adults, 1kid, & 1 on the way)

(User Group 2/3)

3 (adults)

(User Group 1)

4 (2 dogs/2 cats) 3 (1 dog/2 cats)

Since COVID

Basement Rec

Room, Living Room, Outdoors Spare Room Corner with Desk,

Couch, Outdoors Desk in Living Room, Couch,

Kitchen Table

Flexible (days, afternoon, evenings)

Child, Pets, 100+ Plants, T.V.

‘Mom’, Dinner Prep/Cook, go for a walk or to the park, Gardening

Dinner prep/ cook, Care for Horses, Gardening Dinner Prep/cook, go outside, Start studies (school)

Whirlwind of emotions, Stress, Frustration, Exhaustion Create a personal office with a door Previously Hybrid (Full time since COVID)

8:00 to 4:00-4:30 (flexible)

Dog

Stress, anxiety (due to COVID) Introvert Move to have my horses closer, (rural area) 1

(User Group 1) 1 (cat)

Since COVID

Varies (flexible, depends on schedule)

ADHD, phone, Pomodoro Tech

Boredom, Lost, Tired, Exhaustion

Change apartment layout. Create more division

KEY FINDINGS

S IMILARITIES

D IFFERENCES Most desire and exert a fluidity of workspaces Most work a consistent traditional schedule 60% want to maintain WFH post-pandemic Acknowledge appreciation and importance of nature Mixed feelings about the perpetual state of always being home

User groups vary from:

1w/ partner, 1 w/ cohabitants, 1 w/ family, 2 solo w/ pet Each has varied desirability to enhance their environments Distractions vary from dweller dynamics to personae Distinct physical workspace environments ranging from bare to hectic

Exclusive valuable features and elements for coping and rejuvenating

By closely correlating with both the literature review and survey findings, each of these

millennial interviewees has inherently affirmed the vital kinship with nature and its intrinsic

provision to the well-being of multiple detriments of living and working from home perpetually.

Whether it be immersing oneself in nature or bringing some nature connection inside, these

attributes and associations remain to set a clear path within this pilot study. For instance,

participant one has shared, "My private office is a lot nicer at the accounting firm, but I have a

window in my office at home, so it's nice to be able to see outside because I don't have that

luxury at work." Although this certainly isn't a standard case, its awareness has also been shared

with another individual who indicated that access to natural light and views is the most

supportive element of their home working and living environment. "My office at work is in the

basement of a very old building, and so we only have about two feet of windows at the very top of

the ceiling, and we don't get to see outside. It isn't very motivating. So being at home with all my

plants and this sunlight is amazing." A similar idea was also shared with the other participants

where they appreciated the ability to enjoy time outside or looking outside on periodic occasions.

Through a workspace visual observation captured by each participant, the next segment

will briefly identify some perceived elements present in each shared image. Each of these parties

has given written consent to share their personal work environment to enhance further our study

in distinguishing the shortages and providing recommendations for each of these at-home

workspaces. It is essential to denote that each of these three succeeding workspaces is from user

group one, households with single or partnered adults. What differs from these environments to

some from other user categories is perhaps the permanency and availability of physical

designated space. This certainly alters the individual housing size, configuration, and count of

each dweller's demands for private and shared environments.