Looking Ahead: The New WFH and Co-working Space Norms
With the White House ramping up its COVID-19 vaccination efforts, employers around the country are asking the question: is it finally safe to reopen our offices? If you’re wondering what the future workplace holds, you’re not alone.
Learn what the next few months will mean for remote workers in Jersey City and explore local options available to the digital nomad.
What exactly is the COVID-19 situation in New Jersey?
Given the country’s current pace of vaccination efforts, Americans can rest assured of some level of normalcy by Fall 2021 as we approach 70% benchmark goal for herd immunity. According to the New York Times, 18% of the county’s population is fully vaccinated and within the state of New Jersey, 43% of the population received at least one vaccine dose. Ultimately, this means that while there is an interest in returning employees back into the office, it will not happen overnight.
What will the workplace look like in the coming months?
Like it or not, companies are expressing a desire to bring employees back into offices in the near future, though a few have publicly announced a move toward hybrid models.
Not surprisingly, many working Americans do not want a full return to the office. According to a report by the Society for Human Resource Management, 52% of Americans would choose to work from home given the option. While we can expect the return will not happen at once, the gradual shift and embrace of potential hybrid models means added flexibility in the workplace both for remote employees and individuals commuting to the office part-time.
What this means for individuals
With several companies moving to a 100% virtual workplace, this means some employees are experiencing a new sense of digital nomadism. In fact, 72% of employees want flexible remote work options, according to Microsoft’s own blog.
If you’re moving (or have already moved) to another state to save on expenses, this option to work from home permanently adds the flexibility to choose your work location. This is why shared office spaces and co-working spaces are ideal for the digital nomad.
Suited with free amenities included in a monthly (or hourly) payment schedule, co-working spaces offer remote employees the option to take calls in front of a corporate backdrop while remaining close to home. You now have the option to tackle the majority of your tasks in the comfort of your home office and “commute” to a private setting either within the same building, or nearby.
This is an ideal situation for parents, now torn between the need to work productively and tend to their children’s own hybrid education schedules. Like many parents, you may find solace in the opportunity to work remotely from a location closer to your child’s school during their in-person days for easier after-school pick up. We offer other productivity tips for the fully remote worker here.
What this means for companies
With many employers now flirting with the idea of a hybrid workspace, some companies had already taken the leap right at the start of COVID-19, with IBM, Target and Dell taking the lead. These organizations introduced hybrid workplace and remote options during the pandemic to test employee productivity levels while also ensuring people’s safety.
This move toward coworking shared spaces means cost-cutting benefits. Businesses face the challenge, not with the demand for coworking spaces, but the operational lift it will take to migrate from a full office to a partial office population. This may necessitate a move away from dedicated spaces and leasing flexible spaces in various locations where its remote staff may be located.
CMPND offers flexible workspaces for the remote employee in both the Journal Square and Great Neck, Long Island, NY regions. With monthly and hourly payment options, 24-hour building access, conference rooms and private phone booths, you have flexibility to carry out business as usual.
Visit cmpnd.com or call (201) 350-1177 to learn more.
Featured photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash