Reimagining Work Models: Benefits of Coworking Space in the Post-Pandemic Era
The pros and cons of remote work
Work-from-home has been widely adopted as the default model since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic due to safety concerns at offices and coworking space. As a result, orthodox 9–5 office-centric work is now a term of the past. A recent Gartner poll revealed that 48% of employees will likely work remotely at least part of the time after COVID-19 compared to 30% before the pandemic. Many companies including Google, Amazon, Facebook, Salesforce, Shopify and Twitter have also rolled out permanent remote working policies.
As companies pivot to remote work with both employers and employees adapting to the new normal, a new set of challenges has been presented. According to Buffer’s 2021 State of Remote Work, remote workers identified “collaboration and communication” as their biggest struggle, followed by “loneliness”, “not being able to unplug” and “distractions at home” amongst other factors. Team communication may feel fragmented due to delayed responses and information gaps may cause communication breakdowns. Team members rarely connect out of remote work and camaraderie is wavering. Remote work also blurs the line between work and personal life as there is no clear physical and mental “boundary”. These drawbacks of remote work should not be brushed aside as they can impact productivity and morale.
The new corporate favourite — hybrid work models
In a bid to address these challenges, companies are implementing a hybrid work model. This type of model requires employees to go to the office two or three days a week. This arrangement retains the benefits of remote work while mitigating the drawbacks. According to the Future Forum research by BBC on 4700 knowledge workers, majority of the workers indicated that they never want to go back to the old way of working with 72% preferring a hybrid remote-office model moving forward. Coworking spaces have thus gathered renewed interest due to their ability to cater to hybrid work models.
Benefits of coworking space in the post-pandemic era
1. Enhance productivity
From rowdy kids to unstable wi-fi, from never-ending household chores to the annoying construction going on next-door, remote workers deal with ample distractions at home and cannot fully focus on work. Coworking spaces eliminate unwanted disturbance by providing an intentionally-designed conducive environment. They also enable workers to solidify a “work mode” and feel more engaged at work.
In particular, Ucommune Singapore has developed sophisticated and beautiful spaces to enhance members’ productivity, collaboration and innovation Strategically and tastefully designed to incorporate a variety of work environments, office’s spaces offers a comfortable yet professional setting for members to utilise.
2. Allow flexibility in work and lease arrangements and is cost-effective
More organisations have ended their fixed long-term leases in the central business districts and have turned to coworking spaces with more affordable, scalable and flexible leases. Flexible leases guarantee the companies autonomy in selecting the best plan that provides for their needs and allow for no-fuss termination compared to traditional rigid lease arrangements which lock companies down. Renting coworking spaces is also generally more affordable due to waiver of overhead costs.
Ucommune Singapore offers such flexibility through attractive packages which allow members to only pay for the space they need while enjoying built-in business services. Ucommune is actively building a global network of shared working spaces providing long-term leasing, on-demand and short-term leasing solutions to freelancers, start-up entrepreneurs, small medium enterprises and corporations, all under a coherent brand.
3. Provide a suite of office essentials
Built-in amenities at coworking spaces reduce overhead costs for companies and offer convenience and comfort for workers. Other than a spectrum of seating options, a good coworking office should also offer meeting and conference rooms for presentations and brainstorms, a fast and reliable network connection, and a pantry or a snack bar for workers to recharge.
Over at Ucommune Singapore, our roots have always been about providing the highest quality of service alongside offering the best workspace possible to members, and this is apparent in the comprehensive suite of office essentials and amenities available to members. Examples include reception service, meeting room usage, prestigious registered address, event space, pantry service, lounge and printing services.
4. Reduce burnout and isolation at a coworking space
Face-to-face interaction — something that makes us inherently human — is unfortunately sacrificed in the pursuit of remote work. As the saying goes, “no man is an island”. The reduction in personal connections have a significant impact on workers’ mental wellbeing, which will in turn affect productivity. In a study by Inc., 84% of the 700 coworkers surveyed said they felt more engaged and motivated in a coworking setting, 89% said they were happier, 83% said they were less lonely and 78% said that coworking space helps keep them sane.
Ucommune unwavering aim is to provide a safe, seamless and welcoming space for workers to work and to socialise. We believe that being in an environment where members can be themselves can help them develop and pursue their aspirations.
5. Bolster networking opportunities within the coworking space environment
Jay Samit once said,
“Spend as much time working on your business as in your business.”
Networking is an imperative part of working on businesses regardless of sectors and roles. Coworking spaces offer ample networking opportunities as they provide an already curated environment for networking — an engaging, exciting and inspirational area surrounded by like-minded people, allowing relationships to form organically and in real-time. Over time, a strong, resourceful, and diverse community will emerge. This will enable ideas for pitching, enhancing, and incubating resources to be shared.
Ucommune has always believed in connecting people and businesses to help them achieve more. Members can expect to meet professionals from all walks of life. It may compose of unique skill-sets, backgrounds and ideas under the same roof. This kind of belief provides them with an opportunity to engage in fruitful knowledge sharing via networking.
Conclusion
Looking forward, flexible working arrangements forced upon businesses during COVID-19 will remain in the post-pandemic era. During such experimental shifts in work models, the need for a flexible space between offices and homes grew. Coworking space are now looking exquisite attributing their wide range of benefits. Alongside the ability to provide for this flexible middle-ground.
