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Since the onset of COVID-19, there has been a huge shift towards remote working across multiple industries, as well as a widespread change in attitudes towards office working in general.

While many businesses have struggled to adjust, some have been able to reorientate themselves to the new normal, embracing the benefits of remote working and exploring more modern, practical and flexible options to sustain their workflow.

What Is Remote Working?

As the name suggests, remote working is where employees work from a remote location. Since the global pandemic has forced people to stay at home to stop the spread of the virus, remote working has become the norm for businesses that can no longer use their office spaces.

This has meant that employees have been allowed to work from home –– where it’s been possible to do so –– and people have since discovered the benefits of flexible working arrangements. But, working from home has also come with several heavy drawbacks that have had serious consequences for businesses and employees alike.

Is Working from Home Better Than Working in an Office?

National and regional lockdowns have forced people to work from their kitchens, bedrooms, spare rooms and any other spaces they can fit their remote-working setup into. While, at first, this was a fairly novel experience, it has become increasingly uncomfortable for those that don’t have the space to work effectively or productively in their own homes.

For a large percentage of employees, the line between work and personal life has become blurred, which has no doubt contributed to a rise in poor employee mental health across the country.

What Can We Learn from Remote Working?

Although home working has become something of a burden for many, it has indicated several ways that businesses can improve their practices to become more efficient, more profitable and keep their employees content. Coworking spaces provide a great option for businesses that need an effective, flexible working solution. 

What Are the Benefits of Coworking Spaces?

Increasing Productivity:
It’s easy to become distracted with household tasks and the temptation to flick on the TV when employees work from home. By removing those temptations and allowing staff to work from a designated workspace, it’s easier to define the line between work and home life, leading to increased productivity and overall happiness. 

Fewer Overheads:

Renting an office can become expensive. Depending on the size of your business, you may need multiple offices, and costs can start adding up. Some coworking spaces allow you to access multiple locations under one membership, giving you and your employees greater flexibility while remaining cost-effective since you’re sharing office spaces with other like-minded companies.

Greater Flexibility:

Forced remote working has encouraged big companies to embrace flexible working arrangements after realising the benefits of flexibility. Many coworking spaces are accessible 24/7, giving employees an outlet to work creatively and whenever inspiration strikes. The lack of long-term contracts also lessens the financial commitment required to give your hardworking employees somewhere to work efficiently.

Multiple Perks:

Since most coworking spaces are shared by multiple businesses, they’re often equipped with better facilities, including bike racks, complimentary drinks, concierge and postal-management services. 

Could Coworking Be the Answer? 

The decline in the popularity of traditional offices –– plus the huge increase in the genuine value of flexible working –– has opened the floodgates for a new wave of more viable working arrangements. 

Coworking spaces boast the benefits of remote working — like decreased overheads, greater company-wide flexibility and enhanced productivity — while retaining the more established benefits of working alongside your employees in an office space. Happy employees are proven to be more efficient, so coworking solutions could likely help revolutionise your business.