Monday, October 02, 2023

UK firms increasingly opening offices outside city centres due to hybrid working

A survey of 500 businesses by flexible workspace specialist IWG indicates that 82 per cent of businesses are adapting their approach to office space as a result of the hybrid working juggernaut. Indeed, around 54 per cent now run offices or co-working spaces outside main city centres, and just over a third have second locations in commuter towns as staff are now demanding more flexible working schedules.

The same study shows that almost three quarters of businesses have saved money by reducing office space costs and another third are paying fewer staff travel expenses, as people turn to garden offices and other similar third space alternatives.

“It’s clear that the old ways of working, with a daily unproductive and expensive commute, are long gone," said Mark Dixon, chief executive of IWG. "Businesses are realising that not only does hybrid working make sense for their bottom lines, it also benefits their workforces. It’s encouraging to see that businesses are translating their hybrid working savings into real benefits for employees. Not only does this help in the immediate term, with improved productivity and wellbeing, but it will also help them retain and recruit the best talent.”

This follows his comment last year that people were understandably questioning the need to commute two hours a day simply to use a laptop.

Image courtesy Cabinmaster


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