As covid-19 has created a situation where most people work primarily from home, it has left an air of uncertainty about the future of physical work spaces. Some may ask the question: Why do we still need a physical space to work, if everything can be done from home?
Coworking statistics show that about 3.1 million people are currently using coworking spaces around the world. This number is estimated to grow to over 5 million in the next few years.
Here are some of the reasons why having a physical office space is still beneficial to today's WFH employee:
People Need Connection
According to Nathan Sri, principal of strategy at Unispace, workers are still facing challenges with working from home in terms of socialization, collaboration and connecting with colleagues. Workspace factors that affect the well-being of an employee also equate to the bottom line. Lack of wellness drives up costs of health care and leads to more sick-days..
Proper Office Equipment is Essential
According to UniSpace’s WorkReady survey, 20% of remote workers are disadvantaged in that they lack the tools needed to effectively work from home. Working in a coworking space like Workspace Collective means you have 24/7 access to fast WiFi, meeting space, printer/copier, AV equipment, and even a state-of-the-art podcast studio.
Increased Productivity
Happy employees are productive employees. An experiment with 700 employees confirmed that happiness can increase productivity as much as 12%. It's amazing what little elements like a fresh cup of local coffee or events like our signature Waffle Wednesday can do to improve happiness and productivity amongst coworkers.
Detox Space: The Value of Quiet Time
While collaboration and inclusivity is important, there is still need for quiet areas used for independent thinking and private meetings. Working at home can bring a variety of distractions -- it can be tough to drown out the "noise" of home chores and obligations to truly focus on your work. At Workspace Collective, we offer soundproof phone booths for private calls, and meeting space equipped with top-of-the-line AV equipment which allow for quiet time when needed, elevating your focus when you (and your company) need it.
Moving forward, businesses will be upgrading their technology so employees can easily collaborate no matter where they decide to work. No matter how advanced technology gets, there will always be the need for human connection and collaboration. If you are interested in learning about our coworking space options, contact us today at info@workspace-collective.com