Many people attribute the rise of remote work to the Covid-19 pandemic. It forced companies to allow their employees to work from home, and it wasn’t long before those employees fell in love with being able to work remotely.
However, even though the worst of the pandemic may be over, the surge in remote working shows no signs of slowing down. It offers up numerous benefits for both employees and employers, especially when coworking spaces are involved. Join Circle Hub as we take a closer look at what many experts have coined the remote working revolution, along with the vital role that coworking spaces play in this.
What Exactly is Remote Work?
In essence, remote work is when you’re employed by a company but you don’t work at their physical office. Instead, you get your work done at a location that isn’t related to the company that you work for, be it your home, a cafe, a library, or a coworking space.
Also referred to as telecommuting, or simply working from home, this concept has gained so much popularity in recent years. In fact, experts predict that it won’t be long before roughly 25% of jobs in North America are remote.
That said, there are various levels of remote work out there. Some jobs are 100% remote. This means that you wouldn’t ever be required to travel to an office or any other specific location. Other jobs are hybrid remote, which would mean that you may need to spend a bit of time at your company’s office.
Either way, it’s a concept that’s here to stay thanks to the many benefits that it offers…
The Benefits of Remote Work
You may think that it’s only the employee that benefits from the ability to work remotely. However, there are plenty of advantages for the employer too, which is why more and more companies are adopting this strategy:
Employer Benefits
One of the most significant benefits that come from working remotely is an increase in productivity, which is always a good thing for an employer to see. Statistics confirm this, with data showing that 59% of employees reported a rise in productivity when they worked remotely. Such a significant increase is great news for any employer. It means that more work will be completed in a shorter amount of time, with that work usually being carried out to a higher standard.
Interestingly, the option to work remotely also increases employee loyalty. For an employer, this is key. Hiring costs are soaring, making it vital for them to focus on retaining employees. Providing a remote work option is something that employees greatly appreciate, which makes them more loyal to their employer.
Of course, something else that helps to improve retention is hiring the right employees in the first place. Again, implementing remote working makes this easy. Rather than only having a base of local workers to choose from, an employer could potentially hire someone on the other side of the world. They’ll be able to prioritize experience and suitability, without having to take location into account.
Remote working is also worth considering for a company that’s trying to reduce its environmental impact. Commuting produces a significant amount of pollution, which remote working helps to cut back on.
Finally, let’s not forget how the option of remote work can help a company to cut costs. Research suggests that simply switching to a hybrid remote working policy can help to save $11,000 per employee. In total, this equates to a 21% increase in profits.
Employee Benefits
Remote work offers some major advantages for employees too. To start with, the increase in productivity that employers benefit from is a boon to the employee as well. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of having had an extremely productive day. As a result, it’s hardly surprising to learn that remote workers report experiencing better job satisfaction.
Employees appreciate the flexibility that remote work offers as well. In fact, 91% of remote workers state that this is the biggest benefit that they enjoy. This flexibility applies not only to a person’s working hours but also to where they work. They don’t have to spend the day in a stuffy office. Instead, they can choose to work in an environment that’s fully conducive to their state of mind, whether this may be their home office or a coworking space.
Many find that working remotely also helps to counter the effects of the rising cost of living. Small daily savings, from the cost of running a car every day to the lunch or snacks that you buy, really add up, allowing employees to put this important money elsewhere.
Finally, and most importantly, one survey found that 82% of people reported being happier when they were able to work remotely. This is partly down to the fact that they’re able to spend more time with their families. However, it’s also likely due to how they feel that remote work helps to decrease their stress levels.
Where Do Coworking Spaces Fit Into Remote Working?
Remote work has evolved over the years. Traditionally, it used to involve working from home, or perhaps spending the day working at a table at your local cafe.
However, this can be incredibly isolating. It’s one of the main downsides to remote work. Many people used to end up feeling lonely, missing the buzz that came from socializing and working alongside other productive people.
This is where the rise of coworking spaces really changed things. They provide a professional but vibrant environment where employees can turn up whenever they need to get some work done. At the same time, they’ll be able to network and socialize with ease, but without all of the politics and power dynamics that they would have to deal with in a traditional office.
Even better, a coworking space can really help to set a solid work/life balance for a remote worker. It’s easy to cross boundaries when you work from home. Taking your work elsewhere will help to prevent this, making it far easier to turn off and unplug at the end of the day.
For the employer, swapping an office for a coworking space can really help to cut back on costs. You won’t have to worry about overheads either, or about many of the other costs that come from running a business at your own physical location.
Finding a Coworking Space That’s Conducive to Remote Working
Whether you’re an employee looking for somewhere to host a few team meetings or you’re an employee that needs somewhere to work, not all coworking spaces will offer the vibe that you’re seeking. Some will be louder and busier, others may be too quiet and dreary.
Ideally, you want a coworking space that provides a variety of different work environments. This is exactly what you’ll find at Circle Hub. We offer various workspaces to suit every need.
Take our Hot Spots, for example. You simply turn up, sit at an available desk, and get to work. They’re the ultimate in convenience.
Sometimes, hot spots, which are also known as hot desks, are all that a coworking space will offer. However, they’re not for everyone. This is why we also have Designated Desks. With these, you can book a desk of your choice in advance, for however long you need it. This way, you’ll know that there’ll be an available space for you, in your favorite part of the building, at a specific time.
If you need some extra privacy, then you could always book yourself into one of our Private Offices. We have various sizes available. Pick the smallest if you’re simply looking for somewhere secluded to attend a sensitive video meeting, or go with one of our larger sizes if you need a few people to work together.
Of course, there are plenty of other amenities that coworking spaces also offer that make them extremely useful for remote workers. From high-speed WiFi and state of the art printing facilities to large conference rooms and 24/7 access, you’ll find all of these and so much more at Circle Hub.
The Future of Remote Work
Remote work isn’t going to become less popular anytime soon. With technology constantly advancing, remote work is becoming increasingly feasible for a wider range of industries. It’s no longer limited to those that work in tech, for example. Employees in just about every industry are able to use technology in a way that allows them to get their jobs done.
This means that coworking spaces are also set to continue booming in popularity. You’ll find them in just about every major city in the world, with many also popping up in less populated areas. If you’re in California, then you’re in luck, because you’ll have two Circle Hub locations to choose from; one in Northridge and one in Ventura.
If you’re an employer that’s considering offering remote work as an option for your employees, then now is most definitely the time to take the leap. Sure, you may need to make some changes to how you structure things, but giving your employees the flexibility to work remotely could not only have you seeing a boost in productivity, but also some big savings. Plus, employees are much more likely to make the switch to a different company purely for the perk of being able to work remotely, so getting in there first will help to improve employee retention.
With all of this becoming evident to so many employers, many companies are now dipping their toes in with hybrid remote work models. Those who were already offering this are now seeing the benefits roll in. This is encouraging them to offer 100% remote work options too. By giving up their office lease and switching to a coworking space whenever they need to host meetings or arrange for a team to work together, they end up saving so much on costs as well. This, therefore, increases overall profits.
Summary
When it comes down to it, remote work and coworking spaces are becoming increasingly interlinked. Coworking spaces help to counter the few disadvantages offered by remote working, making them useful for both employers and employees alike. Whichever category you fall into, a coworking space could be exactly what you need to help ensure that your transition to remote working goes smoothly.
Want to know more about the coworking spaces available at Circle Hub? Click here to contact us today and book a tour!