Remote working, which is where you’re able to perform your job without having to be situated at your employer’s office, is becoming increasingly popular. It has been around for a while, but really took off during the Covid-19 pandemic, when almost half of the workforce had to work remotely. However, as time went on, both employers and employees alike recognized the many benefits that come from straying from the traditional 9-5 office setup.
Since then, more and more businesses have been embracing the concept. Some employers offer hybrid opportunities, where time is split between working from home and working from the office. Others provide fully remote jobs, meaning that their remote employees never really need to set foot in their company’s HQ.
So, where do these remote employees actually work? To begin with, working from home was the most popular option. However, once the novelty of this wore off, remote workers soon realized that their productivity was flagging, leading to other options being sought out. Keep reading as Circle Hub explores why remote employees have been rethinking where they work, and how 2026 is really going to change the game for this working model.
The Problem With Working Remotely From Home
It’s easy to see why working from home is so appealing to remote employees. It’s the best way to keep costs down – you won’t have to regularly fork out for travel, professional clothing, pricey lunches, or any of the other financial burdens that come with working at an external location. Working from home also gives you flexibility when scheduling your workday. You can plan your tasks for the day around personal commitments, which, in theory, should also give you the perfect work-life balance.
Unfortunately, for many remote employees, this isn’t how things play out. They quickly realized that achieving a healthy work-life balance is often much harder when working from home. Without any strict distinctions between home life and work life, the boundaries between the two often end up blurred. Some employees found themselves unable to tear themselves away from work, resulting in them being consumed by their jobs during all waking hours. Others experienced the opposite, with their personal commitments infringing on their work time. There are a lot more distractions to deal with when working from home. Unless an employee is highly intrinsically motivated, it can be challenging to get past these.
Loneliness started to become a big problem too, to the point where 25% of fully remote employees report experiencing feelings of loneliness and isolation on a daily basis. This may not seem like a big deal at first, until you take the knock-on effects into account. Not only does mental health take a beating, but performance, creativity, and productivity all decline when an employee consistently feels isolated.
What Other Workspace Options Do Remote Employees Have in 2026?
While the thrill of working from home has been waning, what other workspace options do remote employees actually have in 2026? Let’s take a look at some of the most popular:
For Convenience: Coffee Shops and Restaurants
Usually, when working from home becomes a struggle, remote employees turn to local coffee shops and restaurants. For the price of a cup of coffee, they’ll have access to a table for a few hours, which they can quickly transform into a professional workspace.
However, as you can imagine, this doesn’t come without its own set of problems. Coffee shops tend to be loud, bustling places. They can be noisy and busy with constant foot traffic, meaning that the level of distraction can be pretty intense. Many remote employees find it difficult to fully focus in this sort of environment. It’s also quite unprofessional to take a phone or video call while seated at a coffee shop. Even if your client is able to hear you over the background noise, the distractions all around you will affect them too.
Focus is made even harder by how coffee shop furniture isn’t exactly designed to be ergonomic! Those chairs are only intended for use for short stretches of time. Spending hours on one is likely to end up being uncomfortable, which will affect your concentration and productivity.
Plus, some coffee shop owners frown upon remote employees using their spaces as a professional workspace. It doesn’t exactly help to create the vibrant ambience that most coffee shops strive for.
For Peace and Quiet: Local Libraries
With coffee shops deemed as too noisy and distracting, local libraries can often seem like the next best choice. These spaces are designed with quiet concentration in mind.
With that said, libraries aren’t completely distraction-free. There will still be some ambient noise, as well as a significant lack of privacy. This also makes things tricky if you need to take a phone call or host a video meeting – both are usually not allowed at a library.
Ensuring the right resources can also be difficult in a library. There’s usually only a certain number of power outlets available, and the public WiFi network won’t be very secure. This isn’t ideal if you’re working with confidential information. Many libraries also enforce time limits on WiFi usage, which can really affect workflow.
For Professionalism and a Productivity Boost: Hot Desking at a Coworking Space
Out of the various workspace options available to remote employees in 2026, coworking spaces are undeniably the most popular. Even though they cost more than working at a library or coffee shop, they’re still usually cost-effective in the sense that working from a coworking space can really pay off for you in the long run! Studies show that performance, productivity, and well-being can all improve when remote workers base themselves at one of these shared workspaces.
The amenities and resources that you’ll have access to also make that monthly membership fee more than worthwhile. High-speed, secure WiFi, access to printing facilities, common areas, and more. At Circle Hub, our members also enjoy free coffee, weekly breakfasts and juice bars, and have unlimited access to our well-equipped onsite gym.
Remote employees also benefit from how convenient working at a coworking space is. Shared workspaces, known as Hot Spots at Circle Hub, can be used as and when needed, 24/7. Just like when working from home, you’ll have complete flexibility over your schedule.
The best part is that coworking spaces are now more popular than ever, so you’ll likely have a few options available local to you. When coworking was still new and spaces were far and between, some people still had to deal with mind-numbing commutes. Now, with coworking taking off just about everywhere, even in rural areas, these workspaces are so easy to access. If you happen to live in or near Ventura or Northbridge, check out Circle Hub’s coworking spaces – we have a coworking facility in each location!
A Private Office at a Coworking Space
While a shared workspace at a coworking space checks most of the boxes, there’s still the lack of privacy to consider. Your employer may not be happy with you dealing with confidential company information when you have other people around you. Plus, you wouldn’t be able to take any calls, let alone confidential ones, in a shared workspace.
Fortunately, some coworking spaces offer a way around this. At Circle Hub, you can rent a private office within our coworking facility. The smallest are designed for just one person, making them perfect for remote employees who want to reap the rewards of a coworking space while also enjoying some seclusion. You’ll be able to work in privacy when needed, while mingling with other members when you’re able to be social. This is something that’s well worth doing since coworking spaces offer valuable networking opportunities!
Just like with hot desking, there’s no long-term commitment required for these private offices. This gives you the chance to easily test things out for a few weeks or months to see how you get on.
Choosing the Right Fit For You
Coworking spaces are quickly becoming the go-to option for remote employees who don’t want to work from home. It’s easy to see why – there are so many benefits to working from a coworking space, to the point where this small move could make a big difference to your career.
What makes this option even more appealing is that coworking space memberships operate on a month-by-month basis. You won’t have to worry about being sucked into a long-term contract. If you’re curious about coworking but decide it isn’t right for you, you’ll be able to cancel your membership without any issues.
This can also be a godsend if you accidentally join a not-so-great coworking spaces. Like with everything in life, there’s both the good and the bad when it comes to coworking spaces! If you don’t like one coworking space for a particular reason, find another one that provides a solution to those concerns rather than giving up on the concept completely.
The Circle Hub Coworking Spaces
At Circle Hub, we have a large number of remote employees who use our coworking spaces. Many of our amenities are geared toward this sector, meaning that remote workers tend to find that their needs are met very well here.
Don’t believe us? Come and see for yourself! Book a tour of our coworking spaces, and you’ll be able to check things out firsthand, while also speaking to some of the remote employees who happen to be working there at the time to find out exactly what coworking at Circle Hub is like!