Remote work was the primary work mode for enterprise employees in 2020. But it’s looking like it’ll be the preferred work mode in 2021 and beyond. 

A 2019 Buffer survey revealed that 99% of people wished they could work remotely, at least some of the time, for the rest of their careers. A similarly positive response was revealed by IBM, who reported that 54% of their survey participants wished to continue working primarily remotely after the 2020 lockdowns.

But why is this so?

Well, it’s no secret that remote work offers a welcome alternative to the standard nine-to-five lifestyle. It allows for flexibility and control and the opportunity for professionals to spend sufficient time with their families. But, as with everything else in life, it’s not perfect, especially over prolonged periods.

In fact, continuous remote working comes with potential long-term unwanted effects. Some of those can even outweigh the pros. But should this stop digital professionals from pursuing the ability to Work From Anywhere? Certainly not.

The case for remote work

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There are numerous benefits to skipping the office commute most of the time. Perhaps the most impactful is the resulting boost in productivity. 

A research paper published in July 2020 showed that switching from a WFH (work from home) to WFA (work from anywhere) model resulted in a 4.4% increase in output. What’s fascinating is that this was achieved without increasing input or requiring the development of new work processes.

Then, of course, there are the Gallup surveys conducted every year that study the state of workplaces across America. According to this resource, remote working offers a multitude of benefits, including:

• Higher engagement rates among employees who work remotely three to four days per week.
• It allows for greater flexibility, which is a priority for 51% of those surveyed.
• Remote work promotes a better work-life balance, a priority for 53% of employees.

But that’s not all. Remote working doesn’t just boost output. It also answers some of the more intrinsic needs humans seek in a career.

For example, employees who enjoy WFA models report high job satisfaction levels 57% of the time. Moreover, they consider themselves well-paid, feel like they have sufficient career advancement opportunities, and feel valued.

With all this, it comes as no surprise that remote working, whether from home or from flexible workspaces, satisfies contemporary professionals’ needs.

The potential pitfalls of remote work

But that isn’t to say there aren’t any downsides to working away from the office – particularly working from home.

1. Isolation and loneliness

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The most significant downside of working from home is psychological. According to the Buffer survey, loneliness is the second biggest struggle remote workers face. In fact, as many as 19% of people, or 1 in 5, feel this way. 

Moreover, the lack of face-to-face communication among remote workers commonly prevents growth and career progression. Both of these make for significant motivators in terms of job performance.

With this in mind, team leaders need to understand effective communication within the work organization – regardless of whether the business operates in a physical or digital space.

On the whole, achieving the right balance between communication and independence will take time. This is why the hiring and onboarding processes in any company must acknowledge the elements that make remote teams work well.

2. Burnout

Another challenge for remote professionals worldwide is, believe it or not, overwork.

As a result of a forced WFH model, poor organizational skills, and the glorification of hustle culture, 2020 saw as much as 69% of the workforce reporting burnout. The reason this is so worrying? It’s affecting primarily those who work remotely.

Historically, 69% wouldn’t be the all-time high. After all, in the US alone, 77% of professionals have experienced burnout in the past. The three leading causes behind this type of physical and mental exhaustion are lack of support from leadership, unmanageable deadlines, and consistent long work hours. 

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Fortunately, the solution to preventing burnout might be hiding in the statistical data. A recent study looking at cities with the highest reported levels of employee burnout found that countries in Europe have much lower rates of burnout than those in Asia or the U.S. The reason behind this may just happen to be a combination of generous paid time off and a low percentage of people working over 48 hours per week.

The idea that time off supports mental health is further backed by scientific research. A recent publication by Drs. Emily and Amelia Nagoski suggests that employees need to spend approximately 42% of their time resting. In addition to sufficient sleep and at least two hours of relaxation per day, remote workers should aim to take regular vacations, ideally one extended weekend per month and a week-long rest every six months.

Depression and anxiety

In 2020, as the global workforce switched to working remotely due to the Covid-19 pandemic, one common side-effect of remote work reared its ugly head: depression.

While not a direct consequence of WFH, depression is closely related to the types of struggles the model brings forth. It is often caused by elevated stress levels, reported in as many as 41% of remote workers. Furthermore, it is often caused by a lack of social interaction and financial uncertainty.

Another interesting contributor to depression may be the lack of structure in a remote workday, especially for individuals who don’t have access to a dedicated workspace. 

The good news is, the solution may be quite simple. Access to a flexible office space could introduce the vital elements lacking in a remote worker’s routine. These include more daily exercise, the ability to change settings, the opportunity to socialize, as well as the chance to collaborate and network.

4. Declining physical health

The last long-term effect of continuous remote work isn’t necessarily exclusive to the WFA model. Nonetheless, it is showing to be a rising concern for the majority of digital professionals. 

As they eliminate daily commutes and move their offices to the bedroom, workers harm their own health by sitting too much.

In fact, adults are now spending 70% of their time in a sitting position. And that’s quite concerning. According to research, leading a sedentary lifestyle can cause severe physical health consequences, including heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer.

Fortunately, however, there are many easy solutions to this challenge faced by WFA employees.

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One way to counter the problem is to introduce exercise to one’s daily routine. Along with a bigger workout done either in the morning or late afternoon, it’s not a bad idea to do short bursts of activity throughout the day. For example, a Pomodoro timer that prescribes a break every 25 minutes is the perfect reminder to do sets of crunches, sit-ups, lunges, or do a light stretch.

The second solution would be to venture outside at least once per day. Whether that means cycling to the nearest coworking space and working there for several hours or walking to a nearby cafe, it’s a great way to get moving.

Finally, it’s also not a bad idea to look at ways to make the work desk a more ergonomic space. Professionals should consider investing in a standing workstation, a supportive chair, and accessories that elevate screens and laptops into more natural positions. These are all great ways to promote wellbeing when working remotely and might even boost productivity in the long run.

Final Thoughts

Although it’s evident that remote working comes with many benefits, it’s crucial to watch out for – and try to prevent – the potential downsides.

Social isolation, increased stress, potential burnout, and physical health consequences all point to a need for professionals to adapt remote work to their individual demands. Whether that means improving team communication, setting up a home office, or venturing to a coworking space three times per week is entirely up to them.

About the author

Natasha Lane is a designer – turned digital marketer and blogger. She has been working for and collaborating with individual clients and companies of all sizes for more than a decade. Natasha specializes in writing about branding and business growth, but lately, she is especially interested in the art and science of boosting productivity. She is happily addicted to writing, caffeine, and grilled tofu. 

We asked co-founder and CEO Kane Willmott to describe his company’s relationship with enterprise clients, particularly in this transition time, as large employers are considering their post-pandemic workplace strategies.

Pre-pandemic, what portion of your customer mix was enterprise employees or teams?

“Approximately 70%.”

Have you noticed greater interest from enterprise customers?

“During 2020 most of the closed transactions were from individuals or small teams. In the last quarter of 2021 we saw an increase in enquiries from enterprise customers. Most are looking for a Q1/Q2 move-in date, but are still hesitant to commit.”  

Who are your corporate inquiries coming from?

“Most enterprise clients are represented by brokers. Most times the transactions are completed with that brokerage. In some cases, we are in direct contact with the client, in which case the decision-maker tends to be a local team lead.”   

What patterns have you observed in your enterprise inquiries/bookings?

“Most of our enterprise clients look for large offices (10 person plus) that are self contained, have private offices/meeting rooms within that space and address privacy and custom technology needs. Terms vary, but enterprise clients are usually looking for a minimum of one year.”   

How have you shifted your business in order to serve enterprise customers?

“We have put reservation agreements in place, which allows them to secure an office that meets their needs. The transaction process with a new enterprise client is typically  longer due to inter-department approvals,  legal and customizations. A reservation agreement gives them confidence to proceed with the transaction knowing that their physical space needs have been met.

We have found that many of our enterprise enquiries are from groups moving from a traditional office space to a serviced office. In this case, the move-in timelines tend to be longer, as they typically give notice on a traditional lease six months before their move-out date. In the past we have always looked to fill offices within a two-month window. I believe this trend of attracting traditional office occupiers will continue. We have implemented initiatives to adjust our sales and renewal processes, inventory and underwriting.”

From your experience, what kind of experience and service do corporate customers expect?

“They expect a high level of service as they are usually wanting to replicate the high-touch experience they offer in their own offices.” 

Is there a difference between what enterprise customers expect and what they experience in your space?

“We make significant investments in privacy enhancements for our spaces.  Most teams that have been in other spaces are surprised at how those privacy enhancements allow them to use the space much like a typical office. They can maintain their unique culture while at the same time have the benefit of enhanced shared amenities outside their spaces.”  

As we (hopefully) head into the post-pandemic era, how much of your business do you expect to consist of enterprise customers?

“We are looking to increase our enterprise customer mix. We believe many enterprise customers have been sitting on the sidelines. They have considered serviced offices, but it has been easier to do what they have always done, to sign a long-term lease. The pandemic has shone a light on office inefficiencies and cast doubt on future workplace needs. We believe demand from enterprise clients will increase significantly in the coming years and are hyper-focused on providing space and services to meet their unique needs.”

• Will employees who continue to work from home flock to flexible office locations? 
• Will “work from home” morph into “work from anywhere?” 
• Will large employers embrace flexible offices at scale? 
• Will coworking spaces see a pronounced uptick in corporate members?

We are already seeing indications that these are possible, if not likely, outcomes. But we thought it would be good to check in with some venue operators to find out what they are observing at their own locations. 

A league of extraordinary workspaces

Specifically we approached the members of LExC, the League of Extraordinary Coworking Spaces, to find out what they have observed in their local markets. In case you haven’t heard of LExC, it is an organization of coworking business owners who are committed to running venues that incorporate high levels of design and customer experience. Although LEXC spans the globe, the bulk of its venues are located in North America. 

Prior to the pandemic, LEXC venues served a wide range of clientele, from the independent entrepreneurs and startups you might expect to small businesses and enterprise teams. The percentage of enterprise patrons depended largely on location. For example, iQ Offices, with locations in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and Ottawa, reports that enterprise customers have made up 70% of its customer base. Similarly, The Pioneer Collective, which is based in Seattle and Tacoma, reports that enterprise customers made up 50% of its office memberships. “We’ve always needed to appeal to the enterprise customer because a lot of our early business came from Microsoft, Starbucks, Amazon etc.,” said its  Founder & COO Christopher Hoyt. For other operators, like Los Angeles-based BLANKSPACES and Minneapolis-based Fueled Collective, enterprise customers were historically a smaller part of the mix.

Is there a rise in enterprise interest?

Despite pre-pandemic patronage levels, many LEXC operators are indeed seeing increased interest coming from large employers. “We saw an increase in enquiries from enterprise customers in the last quarter of 2020,” says Kane Willmott, Co-Founder and CEO of IQ Offices. 

Colleen Moselle, President & COO of Fueled Collective, reports a similar shift. “We’re seeing more inquiries for private spaces. Most are ‘right sizing’ from a larger space and creating a more flexible workplace for their employees, while still maintaining a professional presence,” she said.

It should be pointed out that not all enterprise customers are teams. As Wolf Bielas, Managing Partner at San Diego’s Downtown Works has seen, many enterprise customers are employees who seek an alternative to working from home. “Most of our corporate customers have been day users, booking through LiquidSpace. Otherwise, we have not had many high-level enterprise inquiries.”

What enterprise customers need

With new customers comes new expectations and new ways of doing business. “Enterprise customers expect an offering close to what they’ve expected from traditional real estate – and patience with their decision making process,” said Jerome Chang, Founder at BLANKSPACES. 

In Minneapolis, Colleen Moselle sees a mix of corporate interest. “Some enterprise customers want month-to-month flexibility, but others are more willing to engage in longer term contracts, for the right incentives,” she noted. “All have wanted at least some dedicated space, a relatively large roster and a clear understanding of meeting room dollars and extra costs,” she said. 

In New York City, Lucas Seyhun, CEO of The Farm, notes that his enterprise prospects are “looking for three-month commitments, with the ability to terminate if pandemic goes out of control again. So, we are offering this flexibility to them.”

Making moves to meet the needs of enterprise customers 

Coming out of a pandemic that flattened demand for flexible office space, many LEXC operators have learned to adapt and innovate in order to keep their businesses running. So, no surprise that these entrepreneurs are innovating in order to make it easier for enterprise customers to 

Among the changes that LEXC operators are making: 

• Being willing to cut custom deals
• Offering new levels of flexibility
• Increasing service levels
• Working with commercial real estate brokers
• Joining the LiquidSpace PRO^TM network, which is the largest curated network of enterprise-grade workspaces and a key part of LiquidSpace Enterprise – the first and only Work From Anywhere management platform.   

That said, many LEXC venues have been prepared to serve enterprise customers since their inception. “From day one we made sure to balance things like enterprise-grade IT infrastructure and security with the more organic design elements and culture that attract customers to The Pioneer Collective,” says The Pioneer Collective Founder and COO Christopher Hoyt.

Where things are headed

With luck, 2021 will bring a recovery to the flexible office market. Perhaps enterprise customers will be part of that recovery. The Farm’s Lucas Seyhun is counting on it. “As a business, we will lean towards enterprise. In fact, we are talking with landlords in NYC for property management deals.”

Fueled Collective’s Colleen Moselle is also optimistic, saying that she expects enterprises to ultimately account for up to 50% of their dedicated space revenue and occupancy.

Of course, results may vary by location. In Los Angeles, BLANKSPACES’ Jerome Chang says “Like back in 2009-2012, I don’t expect to see many enterprise customers. I think small businesses will lead the recovery.”

Two of those concepts are “hybrid” and “work from anywhere.” Essentially, these are workplace policies that govern where (and how) work gets done by everyone within an organization. In the past, these concepts might have been familiar only to professionals in the corporate real estate or human resources departments. But going forward, these ideas are going to have a real impact on how we live our lives in a post-covid world.

So, what’s the difference between hybrid and WFA? Let’s take a look at each of them.

What’s a hybrid workplace?

In the past, most corporate employees worked in a corporate workplace, which is to say that employees only worked in spaces provided by the company. A hybrid workplace, by contrast, means that employees will work at company-provided workspace, but also in non-company workspaces. The first and most obvious non-company workspace is home, which we’ve all experienced through much of 2020. But some people might also work out of flexible office spaces. And some employees, particularly salespeople, might even work out of their cars, coffee shops or wherever they can touch down for a few minutes. 

Put together, a hybrid workplace encompasses all the above workplaces. But as a matter of policy, a hybrid workplace policy tends to have some common traits that sets it apart from a WFA workplace.

• Employees will generally be in the same metro area as the company. So, living in a different state might be out of the question. 
• Managers usually have the final word on whether a team works at the office, works remotely or both. Much will depend on the manager’s own personal comfort level and experience with managing remote teams. If they have a “butts in seats” mentality, then the team will probably be required to work at HQ.
• One fact about a company with a hybrid workplace policy is that recruitment only takes place within commuting distance from the company’s offices. This can be a competitive disadvantage, as the company is limited to the talent pool (and the salary ranges) that happen to exist in a single metro area. For example, a tech company in the Bay Area would be forced to compete for software engineers in an already highly competitive (and therefore, expensive) market. 

What does Work from Anywhere (WFA) mean?

We’ve all heard of WFH, or work from home, because that’s what we’ve all been doing. So, what’s work from anywhere?

It’s basically a workplace policy that allows employees to work wherever they want – providing they can perform their jobs. Initially, WFA was seen amongst tech companies that wanted to be more competitive in recruiting and retaining employees. 

Here are the characteristics of a WFA workplace:

• Employees work remotely. Their location is not tied to the physical location of company offices. (Full disclosure: at LiquidSpace, we’ve been a WFA workplace since its founding in 2010).
• Even though they don’t provide a central workplace, many WFA employers go to lengths to ensure that employees have a professional and productive work environment. For example, the employer might give employees a stipend so they can outfit their home offices with the proper equipment and ergonomic furniture. They might also subsidize an employee’s membership at a coworking space or serviced office, using a platform like LiquidSpace to streamline the process of finding, vetting and paying for flexible workspaces.
• WFA workplaces give the employer some built-in advantages:
  • With fewer employees coming to the office, the company can spend less on office space.
  • The company is better prepared to withstand a recurrence of covid or some other pandemic.
  • The company is able to recruit talent nationally, even globally.
• A WFA workplace also comes with some obligations:
  • The company needs to be able to support distributed work through technology. The good news is that many of the required tools, particularly collaboration and conferencing platforms, were put to the test in 2020.
  • Managers have to be skilled in managing remote teams. No surprise, motivating and supervising remote employees isn’t the same when face-to-face meetings are less frequent.
• Some notable WFA companies include REI, Fujitsu, Nationwide Insurance, Nielsen, Facebook, Square, Twitter, and Zillow.

Which workplace policy is best?

Even though we’ve been a WFA company for 10 years, we’re reluctant to pass judgment on companies that don’t adopt a WFA policy. So much depends on a company’s specific situation. 

Coming out of the pandemic, most companies will certainly offer a hybrid workplace, for a couple reasons. One, due to potential liabilities, employers are reluctant to bring all employees back to offices with pre-pandemic occupancy levels. Many companies have been actively “de-densifying” their offices, which means that buildings will support only a fraction of the workers they did prior to 2020.

What’s more, one of the discoveries of 2020 was that employees were just as productive at home as they were at the office. This has some CFOs wondering, “why are we paying so much for these corporate offices?”

Lest we forget that we’re in an employment marketplace, which means that employees have a choice in where they work. And many employees have discovered the considerable benefits of working remotely. 

Will your employer go WFA?

Only time will tell how events will unfold in 2021 and beyond. But we do see some clues that suggest a long-term trend toward WFA. For instance, after spending 2020 hosting empty corporate campuses, many companies are talking about downsizing their office footprint in order to reduce overhead and increase flexibility. We’re also seeing a migration of skilled employees from expensive cities toward more affordable locations. And according to Gallup, two-thirds of employees want to continue to work remotely. This will undoubtedly put pressure on employers to allow for remote work in order to recruit and retain employees.

One platform to serve them all

One thing is true for all employers, whether they pursue hybrid or WFA policies. They will need to provide employees with more than just the binary options of HQ and home. There has to be a third option for employees who can’t or won’t commute, but also don’t find it productive to work from home all the time. 

Flexible offices, once associated with startups and small businesses, are poised to fill that gap. That’s why LiquidSpace launched LiquidSpace Enterprise – the world’s first and only Work From Anywhere management platform. Now companies can procure flexible workspace at scale. LiquidSpace Enterprise features the world’s largest flexible office marketplace – but with centralized controls, a single contract and streamlined payments.

We’ve all heard of Work from Home. After all, most of us have been doing it since early 2020. And to be sure, many people will continue to work from home well into the future. 

But Work From Anywhere, or WFA, is what execs in the C-suite are talking about. That’s because no matter how 2021 pans out, odds are good that most companies will have employees working from lots of locations. Some will return to HQ, while many others will continue to work from home. Yet others (who can’t or won’t return to HQ and can’t handle working from home) will seek out alternative workspaces that are closer to home.

So, in a nutshell, most companies will have a WFA situation on their hands, even if they don’t make it official. But some organizations are getting serious about WFA right now, and here are just some of the reasons why.

1. The time to secure flexible workspace for WFA employees is now.

Although most coworking and serviced office venues are currently experiencing low volume, they anticipate an explosion of demand later this year. That demand will come from enterprises that need to relocate teams from their regular offices, as well as corporate employees who will need some place to work other than home. Flexible space will be in especially high demand especially in secondary markets and in the suburbs, close to where employees live. Knowing this, savvy corporate real estate execs are already looking to secure an inventory of on-demand workspaces, so that their companies can enjoy greater flexibility in 2021 and beyond.

2. Employees will need an alternative to the home office sooner than later

As many of us know first hand, working from home doesn’t work for everyone all the time. For some people, it’s downright intolerable. These employees will seek out local alternatives to the home office as soon as possible. But imagine you’re the head of workspace for a big company. Do you want every employee going out and randomly booking workspaces with their company card? No, that’s the definition of insanity. 

That’s why LiquidSpace developed a Work From Anywhere management platform that lets companies provide employees with a huge inventory of flexible workspaces – but all under one contract and with streamlined payments.

3. WFA is key to employee retention in 2021

Despite the pandemic, there’s still a lot of competition for top talent. Companies that embrace WFA will have an immediate advantage. Think about it. If you’re a software engineer, which company will interest you more – the one that insists you commute 2+ hours per day to their downtown offices…or the one that says you’re free to work from anywhere? 

Knowing this, many companies are looking to implement WFA, partly to be able to recruit and retain top talent. In fact, there’s a bit of an arms race going on. And whichever companies can roll out WFA first will have a better shot at keeping their current staff from looking for greener pastures.

4. Enabling WFA requires advance preparation

Declaring that all employees (or even a portion of them) can now Work from Anywhere is not as easy as sending out an all-company memo. As many companies have learned during the pandemic, remote work challenges many of the systems that companies rely on to operate predictably and efficiently. One of the challenges with WFA is logistical: how do we give employees the ability to use flexible workspaces without unintended consequences? At LiquidSpace, we talk about the 4-Way Fit, which means that companies need to manage people, place, price and process in order to have a successful rollout of their WFA program.

That’s why we created LiquidSpace Enterprise, the first and only Work From Anywhere management platform that helps large employers roll out WFA efficiently and cost effectively – yet with a high degree of control.

5. Investing in WFA provides a competitive advantage in an uncertain world

While we are not sure what 2021 will bring, there are strong indications that companies can’t and won’t return to the pre-covid way of doing business. According to a new survey of 344 employers by consulting firm Willis Towers Watson, employers expect that 52% of their employees will work from home in the first quarter of 2021, while 24% will work from anywhere.

What’s more, CEOs have made it clear that they’ve learned some important lessons during the pandemic. One, that employees can be trusted to maintain productivity while away from company offices. Two, that those company offices cost a fortune to own or lease and furnish.

Perhaps the biggest lesson is that in an uncertain world, it pays to be flexible and resilient, as we simply have no idea what events the future may bring. 

Over the last five years, the number of companies that allow employees to work from home grew by 40%. The transformation to a telecommuting society started long before COVID-19, but the virus has accelerated the pace.

With firms forced to allow employees to work from home, companies are starting to realize the unique benefits this model provides. Is it right for your business? In this post, we’ll examine that issue more closely.

Why companies are getting onboard

Better productivity

You’d think that the conventional office environment is the perfect place to work, but 65% of office workers disagree. They feel that productivity increases outside of the traditional business setting.

Why?

• The lack of a daily commute can add hours to an employees’ day
• Fewer distractions like chatty colleagues, unscheduled interruptions, and office feuds
• An improved balance between work and home lives allows maximum productivity for both
• More control over the work environment

Employees tend to work longer

You might think that people working from home would slack off. You’d be wrong; they’re more likely to put in extra hours because it’s hard to get a clean break between home and the office. An employee working a standard nine-to-five day clocks off and goes home.

The remote worker, however, works as is convenient. They don’t have to break their work because there are no set cut-off points. They’ll often decide to put in a few extra minutes to complete a project, for example. That time adds up.

Access to a global talent pool

Firms that allow Work From Anywhere aren’t restricted to hiring only from the same geographical area. They may draw on staff from all over the world. This will enable them to negotiate better rates without sacrificing the quality of output.

Lower overhead

The most important benefit is that Work From Anywhere allows businesses to cut back on infrastructure costs. They don’t have to lease or maintain expensive office spaces to accommodate their employees.

Instead, workers provide their own office space and equipment, which makes things simple. In instances where employees need access to professional business equipment or meeting rooms, flexible office spaces offer a cost-effective solution.

Employee costs may drop as well. Workers may be willing to take a reduction in pay to be allowed to Work From Anywhere.  

Fewer sick days

People who Work From Anywhere get sick like everyone else. The difference is that at home, there’s limited exposure to disease. One ill worker dragging themselves in won’t suddenly infect the entire office.

Improved morale

Relationships between colleagues are sometimes tricky to manage. With such a mishmash of personalities, there are bound to be clashes. Managers may establish their own fiefdoms and create an unpleasant atmosphere.

Reducing employee interaction by allowing telecommuting eases the friction. Workers that thrive in social settings may opt to work at a flexible office space instead. 

Cybersecurity is less of an issue

Cybercrime is on the rise, but so are the methods used to secure devices. Using a public network five years ago was asking for trouble. Today, companies have stepped up their security protocols substantially. The addition of VPN protocols, multi-factor authentication, and higher encryption allows businesses to secure their networks more effectively.

It’s better for the environment

No commute means less traffic on the road and less pollution. Not having to run a permanent office reduces energy requirements and cleaning materials needed. These seem like small changes, but they all add up over time.

Better efficiency

Do you remember when everyone had to head into the head office for a briefing? Employees had to waste time getting to and from the meeting and during the conference itself. Allowing telecommuting makes things more efficient.

Workers may call in via Skype or Zoom and attend meetings virtually in their offices. They won’t have to schedule travel time, traffic delays, or the standard meet and greet that wastes time. Also, if anyone leaves a critical file at the office, it’s no big deal.

Better employee retention

Retaining your best employees is critical in ensuring the ongoing success and continuity of your business. By allowing Work From Anywhere, you’re increasing job satisfaction and supporting employee retention.

Allowing employees to choose where to work from makes it easier for them to focus on the job. They won’t have to worry about getting up an hour early to beat the traffic, finding transport, or the stress of dealing with congested highways.

Improved trust

Allowing your employees to Work From Anywhere tells them that you trust them implicitly. This improves the relationship and fosters a better culture within the company. Employees will work that much harder to show that the trust was well-placed.

What’s in it for employees?

Better work-life balance

Work From Anywhere cuts out long commutes and allows employees better flexibility with their schedules. If they need to pick their children up from activities, they don’t have to squeeze it into a short lunch break. They simply make up the time later in the day.

Employees can accommodate regular errands in their schedule without stressing about being at work on time.

They choose where to work

A big perk of this working model is that workers can choose where they want to work from. This allows them the freedom to work from home, from a coffee shop, or from a family vacation. As long as they have a Wi-Fi signal, they can keep their work up to date.

About the author

As the SEO manager of TeamStage, Hristina also relies on her degree in Modern English & Literature to write about the importance of project and team management in executing a successful strategy, top to bottom. Off work, she likes to look for the perfect green curry spots, explore temples in Southeast Asia, and treat herself to cheesecake and matcha latte, in that order.

Having been trapped in your home for nearly a year, vacation might seem like a thing of the past. But with Covid vaccines on their way, 2021 could be a whole new ballgame.

In fact, it’s safe to say that 2021 is the year in which we will all establish new relationships with work and leisure. And nothing helps you balance the two like a “workation.”

What’s a workation? It’s a period of time – one week, one month, however long you want – in which you work from a different location than where you live. The destination could be a beach resort. It could be a major city. It could be a quiet place in the country. You might work by day and enjoy yourself by night. Or you might mix it up and intersperse work and leisure throughout the day.

How does that sound? Well, here are several reasons why you could be taking a workation sooner than you think!

A Workcation is What We All Need

You might be wondering, why choose a workcation over a normal vacation? One reason is economic: many people need to keep working to recover from the economic crisis that the world is facing right now. You can choose to go on a vacation and lose money or, you can go on a workcation and spend your money while you earn more! Not only do you get to explore a new place, but you also get to stay in touch with all the happenings of your office or business. 

There’s another, more basic reason, stemming from the fact that employees have been cooped up at home for months. We’ve all got cabin fever and are craving a change of scenery. We’re going to need a way to release the stress of 2020.

Workcations are Fun

There are people who miss work while they’re on a family holiday (yes we’re talking about you, entrepreneurs) but then miss vacation while working. Let’s face it, half of vacation is spent in a room at a resort, where you are doing absolutely nothing. Instead, wouldn’t it be great if you could explore new places and experiences as soon as you wrap up your office hours? A workcation gives you the freedom of doing exactly that. Spend your days dealing with all your work and then treat yourself to a beautiful candlelight dinner with your better half at night. Talk about work-life balance!

Workcations Can Enhance Your Productivity 

Aren’t you fed up of commuting to the same place (from bed to the couch) every single day? Routines are good, but too much routine can sap your productivity. When you are on a workcation you get to explore a lot of new places which can inject new energy and productivity into your life. According to a study, changing your work environment can really help you in unlocking a new side of your productive nature that can help you do wonders with your work. What would be better than shutting down your laptop and going for a walk on the beach with a cool breeze flowing? 

Workcation is the New Team Building 

What makes a business successful? Not just money or planning, but a team that works together. Did you know that workcations can also serve as a great team-building activity for your employees and teammates? Some companies are considering using workcations as a way to bring teams together, once the pandemic is over. Shared experiences help teams to bond, which makes for better working relationships. But a workation allows everyone to also stay connected to work, without losing out on the benefits of a holiday. 

Workcations are for Everyone!

Workcations are not just available to corporate giants. Even the smallest of companies, budding start-ups, entrepreneurs, and freelancers can go on a workcation. A workation can be whatever you want it to be. You could choose to work from a different location in your city, or go to a different country that has a compatible timezone. As long as you continue to work during your getaway, it’s workcation. You don’t need a lavish hotel or an expensive holiday. All you need is to change your environment!

The World is Workcation-Ready 

Ten years ago, the idea of going on a workation was, well, unworkable. Even if your company allowed it, you might not be able to find good WiFi. But now, companies have embraced Work from Anywhere. Fast internet is practically everywhere. And there are even hotels that offer workcation packages, which provide you with a great place to work from, plus a range of supporting amenities. 

In fact, due to the Work From Anywhere movement, there are beautiful workspaces around the world that you can book on-demand. No matter where you go for your workation, you can find a great workspace, where you’ll be productive and also make friends with locals. The world is ready for this change, the big question is: are you?

Final Words

Workcations are not a total vacation, but neither are they the usual 9-to-5 grind. As a knowledge worker, you now have some options that workers of the past never had. Working from fun or exotic locations used to be the domain of the wealthy. But now, you too can have that lifestyle. The final question is: where do you want to go for your workcation?

About the author

Petra Jany is an academic counselor at Global Assignment Help and has been working remotely for a quite awhile now. She likes to explore new places while she works and is an active follower of workcation culture. She also is a writer who likes to help students with their writing assignments and other academic tasks.

With the significant changes brought by the pandemic, most office workers are working remotely. Although working from home is a privilege that many of us have wanted for a long time, we now know the truth – it’s not a bed of roses.

It turns out there are some hazards of working from home. It can be downright difficult to draw a line between work and “life,” since they are both taking place under one roof. This is more dangerous than most people realize and can ultimately lead to procrastination, stress, strained relationships and burnout. Don’t let that happen to you! Instead, consider how you might apply some of these useful tips into your work-at-home life: 

Set Up a Clear Work Schedule

The reason it’s so hard to separate work from your personal life is that there are no clear start and end times, nor scheduled breaks, to provide boundaries for you. You have to create all the boundaries yourself. So, even though you’re at home, you should organize your schedule.

Create a plan on how you should start your day. Tell your colleagues, so they don’t expect you to be working outside of those hours. You should also include when you should start working and when to take a break. The better you organize it, the better your productivity. 

Break Tasks Into Smaller Steps

Once you’ve set up your work schedule, you should also list out the tasks you need to work on.

If a particular task seems too big and overwhelming, it’s better to break it down into smaller, more manageable steps that you can finish right away. 

Focus on one task at a time and avoid multitasking (it’s been proven not to work). If you can, estimate how many hours it would take for you to finish that particular task and make that your goal. Because as they say, work expands to fill the time.

Eliminate Distractions 

When you’re at home, distractions are everywhere. Since no one’s looking over your shoulder, it’s easy to jump to Facebook, turn on the television, or scroll through your phone. 

Start by creating an inviting workspace that you feel will help you stay productive. Keep phones out of reach while you’re working and turn off any distracting notifications. 

Lastly, if you have other family members living in the same house, you might want to post a “Don’t Disturb” sign outside your door telling them that you’re working. 

Clean Your Workspace

Another useful tip is to clean your workspace. According to Maid Service NYC, home-based workers often have messy living and workspaces. A messy environment can contribute to feelings of disorganization and stress.

To borrow advice from the financial planning world, you should pay yourself first. In this context it means you should take care of your own environment – whether that’s cleaning the dishes or folding the laundry –before you get to work. A clean and uncluttered setting frees you up to focus on work.

Use Pomodoros

Some productive workers use what they call the Pomodoro technique. Work for 25 minutes straight, take a 5-minute break, then work for another 25 minutes. Do this two or three times before taking a more extended break of 15-30 minutes.

The idea is not to push yourself to work for long stretches, but also to look forward to small rewards as you work. Many people who use this technique also find this technique helps you get into “the zone” and achieve momentum in your work, which is particularly helpful for jobs that require high levels of concentration. 

Ration Your Time

Being productive doesn’t mean working the hardest all the time. Most of us aren’t built to work at 100% all of the time. Rather, we work in fits and starts, or in ebbs and flows of energy. 

If you’re a morning person, odds are your best energy is in the morning. If you’re a night owl, then your energy probably builds up over the course of the day. Knowing your own unique biorhythms, try to take on your toughest tasks when your energy is at its peak. Leave the less demanding tasks for when you are lower energy. 

Tackle Task Uncertainty

Sometimes, we tend to procrastinate because we’re unsure. Maybe a task has several dependencies that need to be cleared up before you know what’s actually involved. Or perhaps the task is simply not well defined in the first place.

If this happens, don’t put the task at the bottom of your to-do-list. Instead, reach out and get the clarification you need. You might be happy to learn the task is not nearly as onerous as you feared. Worst case, you find out it’s a whopper of a task, but at least you know what you’re dealing with and can prepare yourself to take it on with gusto.

Take Breaks

If you’re too tired or overwhelmed by all the tasks on your list, then give yourself permission to take a break. This will help clear your mind and recharge so you can dig back in later. Remember, it’s a marathon, not a sprint.

But when we say rest, it doesn’t mean browsing Instagram or shopping online. Taking a break means switching modes – doing something that is completely different than the activity that you’ve been engaged in. Try standing up from your desk, take a short walk outside, take a power nap, bake cookies – anything that will rest your brain and help you recharge. 

Reward Yourself

Last but not least, reward yourself. As you put in a hard day’s work, remind yourself that you will get to watch your favorite show or make your favorite tea when you’re finished. It doesn’t have to be a big reward – just an effective one.

LiquidSpace is supporting GWA’s mission as a sponsor of the 2020 GWA Virtual conference, which takes place December 8 and 9, 2020. 

This year’s conference has been designed to help constituents around the world continue to navigate our changing industry as we pick up the pieces from 2020 and determine the role flexible offices will play in the promising new world of workplace. 

This conference is a perfect follow-up to GWA’s June event, where more than 800 flexible-office-space constituents participated in a groundbreaking event and heard innovative ideas and insights on how we all can continue moving the industry forward. This event will offer community, insights and expertise the entire industry needs to help close out this transitional year.

LiquidSpace CEO Mark Gilbreath will co-host this year’s event and also emcee multiple panels over the course of the two days. 

Join us in supporting this year’s GWA Conference. Register for your Full Access Conference Pass, which will give you access to the live general session and exclusive discussions with more than 30 inspiring speakers in the flexible office space arena.

As we approach the end of 2020, we’re faced with a world that is very different from what we considered to be normal just 12 months ago. Disrupted and changed, we’ve gone from globalization to isolation as new circumstances keep pushing us towards a growingly digital reality.

At this moment, there are more than 4.66 billion active internet users in the world. This makes up 59% of the global population. But the fascinating thing isn’t that we’re spending more time on our smartphones, tablets, and computers. Instead, it’s that we’re doing so to complete our everyday tasks. 

In less than a year, the entire world seems to have embraced the growingly popular trends of remote work and online shopping. In fact, the two turned out to be some of the most effective responses to an already devastating economic crisis. But what does this indicate for the future of work? Is it viable to believe that we’ll go back to the office in the upcoming period? Or has our way of doing business changed for good?

While there’s no definite answer to where we will be in a year, now may be the perfect time to reconsider our working models. And, according to science, coworking may just be the perfect solution for a large number of individuals.

In case you’re still on the fence, the following are the top science-backed reasons to adopt a coworking lifestyle.

1. The Link Between Work Environment & Performance

Where we work can have a significant impact on how well we’re able to do our jobs. Research shows that factors like room temperature, lighting, greenery, decoration, and noise levels all contribute to (or detract from) productivity.

Still, the thing is, these elements can be difficult to get right.

For example, an office environment may be well-decorated. But if there are too many people around, it’s bound to get noisy and distracting. The work-from-home method, on the other hand, may lack the required auditory stimulation that can help people get into the state of flow. Then, of course, there’s the question of freelancers and the workspaces available to them.

One of the ways coworking spaces solve these issues is that they provide a variety of solutions through different office types. People can rent single desks, private offices, office suites, and even meeting rooms. Many coworking spaces offer by-the-hour renting models, which is the perfect solution for those who thrive on variety.

2. Collaboration & Networking Opportunities

According to a recent Gallup report, 1 in 5 remote workers feels lonely or isolated due to the lack of social contact at work. And while that’s “only” 20% of the workforce, it’s not a number that should be lightly dismissed – even when you’re only interested in the effect of mental health on productivity.

What’s interesting about coworking spaces is that they give freelancers and remote workers opportunities to connect with fellow members of the digital workforce. 

In fact, a 2015 study conducted by Small Business Labs found that joining a coworking space made 83% of participants feel less lonely. It also helped 79% expand their personal social network. 

Moreover, this model of work can be an excellent opportunity to meet professionals. As many as 80% of the respondents stated that they regularly collaborated with fellow coworking members.

3. Boosting Job Satisfaction

According to the same Small Business Labs study, coworking has a positive impact on job satisfaction, motivation, and overall happiness. But what’s the reason behind these changes?

Well, to understand how coworking can make us feel happier, we need to consider the factors that impact job satisfaction. 

A universal thing young people want in a job is professional and career growth. A Gallup report has shown that 87% of millennials found this factor important in a job. So, it comes as no surprise that a space that supports collaborative learning may allow professionals to feel better about their performance.

Another perk that a coworking lifestyle can offer is control. A 2014 study by Bentley University found that as many as 77% of millennials want flexibility from their jobs. So, getting to choose when and where they work can be a great way to provide that authority.

4. Avoiding Burnout

One of the main perks of remote work often comes in the form of improved productivity. A 2013 study revealed that a WFH model can result in a 13% boost in productivity. Furthermore, self-quantitative surveys show that as many as 65% of people feel more efficient when working from home.

None of this is a surprise. For a long time, there has been a strong association between work-life conflict and poor self-reported health. After all, productivity, creativity, cognitive ability, and mental wellbeing all thrive under good health.

But are there cases in which the WFH model may hinder these aspects of work? Well, it turns out that freelancers tend to report the lowest satisfaction rates when it comes to work-life balance.

According to a survey conducted by Eachnight, one in four freelancers had no boundaries between their work and personal life. Furthermore, 58% were likely to work during vacations. Only 13% avoided talking about their jobs outside the workplace.

The reason behind this may be simple. Without a physical barrier between a place for work and one for rest, it becomes easy to erase all boundaries. Having a desk or office at a coworking space, however, instills some form of structure. This allows remote workers to plan their schedules effectively and create a better work-life balance.

5. Workplace Experience

Last but not least, let’s look at the 2019 Gensler US Workplace Survey. In it, we’ll find a high correlation between a coworking lifestyle and a great workplace experience. 

Seeing that coworking spaces are built with a variety of amenities, they are particularly effective at non-desk related activities. They encourage collaboration, creativity, and networking. Plus, they can offer perks and bonuses people don’t have access to at home. The most impactful of these include innovation hubs, maker spaces, meeting rooms, and refreshment areas.

But the main benefit they offer is variety and the power of choice. In the survey, 79% of people who got to choose their workspace reported having a great work experience.

Final Thoughts

As we face the reality of major workplace changes in 2020, it’s time to start thinking about the advantages and drawbacks of different workspaces. Yes, home offices have been a saving grace for many people during the pandemic. But, unfortunately, they don’t always foster performance or satisfaction.

So, it might be time for a larger number of professionals to embrace a coworking lifestyle – even if only for one day per week. Looking at all these science-backed reasons, it’s safe to say there’s plenty of pros to support that decision.

About the author

Natasha Lane is a designer – turned digital marketer and blogger. She has been working for and collaborating with individual clients and companies of all sizes for more than a decade. Natasha specializes in writing about branding and business growth, but lately, she is especially interested in the art and science of boosting productivity. She is happily addicted to writing, caffeine, and grilled tofu.