OUR PARTNERS ADD A THIRD SPACE TO THE HYBRID MIX - WITH HOTEL FLAIR

Written by: Sue - 19^th October 2021

'Hybrid': of two different elements, of mixed character. We're very familiar with the word, we've experienced the meetings, and we will definitely need to embrace it in our working lives, research is telling us.

According to research conducted by YouGov on behalf of the BBC recently, where, when and how we work from now on will be more flexible as a strong trend towards a mixed pattern prevails. For this survey, 1684 working adults were polled along with 530 senior leaders; some interesting data includes ...

60% of workers said that post-pandemic their preference would be to work from home either all of the time (22%) or at least some of the time (38%).

Almost half of London's workers want to work from home sometimes 44%.

Applications for jobs with remote working shot up in August according to recruitment firm Reed. Prior to the outbreak, 1% of applications would include remote working, rising to 5% as 2021 rolled on.

Many large companies are implementing office downsizing citing work-life balance, health and mental wellbeing, a shortened commute and reduced carbon footprint as reasons for seizing this opportunity for evolution. A conflict of attitudes is obvious, however, and has been well documented. Some reservations amongst leaders and workers might be alleviated if 'hybrid' is not merely viewed as a mix of office and home-based work; a third space could be the solution. This is where our hotel partners are standing in the gap.

Village Hotels

Long before the pandemic, Village VWORKS was already pioneering the third workspace concept. For those without the luxury of a conducive working space at home - or desperate to escape the rattle of their kitchen space or the view from the bedroom window - VWORKS was ready to offer a refreshing, distraction-free sanctuary when the world turned upside down. Across 20 UK locations, in these spaces the desk, Wi-Fi and access to plug sockets are just a glimpse of the offering: there's on-site parking, a pub & grill for lunch, access to Health & Wellness Club with pool for a break, printing and copying services and a steady supply of energising refreshments. This service is readily tailored through many options: a flexible hot desk, coworking or dedicated fixed desk, for instance; private working or meeting pods, phone booths and break out areas for when it's time to be social with like-minded business people.

Through our partnership with Village, we devised an exclusive Calder Day Pass for clients who need to base their department in a well-equipped hotel space on a flexible day-to-day basis without the need for long-term obligation.

Such a 'third space' could combat some of the reservations about homeworking to emerge in the survey:

69% of senior business leaders and 62% of the general public said that young workers based at home will struggle more to progress in their career than those going into the office.

Half of 530 senior leaders said staying at home would 'adversely affect both creativity and collaboration', with the general public less fearful at just 38%.

Our partners would argue that switching up the four walls to a hotel retreat would help boost creativity and focus. Productivity can be heightened by working individually with a private option but switching to collaboration and networking with like-minded people in a time-efficient way under one hub. Furthermore, hotels unlike offices are open 24/7 with round-the-clock-service and access.

VWORKS

Hilton Hotels responded to the pandemic challenges with their day-use rooms which offer ample desk space, ergonomic chair and enhanced Wi-Fi - whilst ensuring guests are fuelled with regular refreshments.

Accor Hotels innovated with new HotelOffice offers, promising a home office away from your home office with added touches of hospitality flair: 'think welcoming smiles, great coffee, plush sofas, intelligent lighting and fantastic design. Think bars, restaurants, wellbeing and board rooms right there when you need them.'

Marriott Hotels moved swiftly and intuitively with the work-from-hotel trend. They invite guests to work from anywhere through Marriott Bonvoy by crafting three different packages: 

Day Pass - check in the private rooms at 6am and clock out again at 6pm with support from hotel business facilities as required

Stay Pass - a day's work with an overnight stay affords other benefits such as a swim, workout or free breakfast

Play Pass - for guests seeking to work whilst also getting away, even with the family, services may include a business concierge, supervised kids' activities or even curated experiences for the whole family.

As our partners continue to re-imagine the hotel experience, we have many varied propositions to now guide our clients through. Other partners now committing to remote working packages include:

Best Western GB

IHG

Jurys Inn and Leonardo Hotels

Organisations, mammoth or medium-sized, are busy devising home working policies as they acknowledge this is not a passing phase: convenience is being redefined, work and life finding balance. Many workers will seek out the familiar home comforts in a local base but with the chance to inject more life into the workday. Hotels will be a solution and no longer considered a perk. To benefit the most from the hybrid concept long-term, organisations will need to show empathy and continue to consult with their people. They will also require a bold vision to invest in alternative remote approaches. We know our partners will raise their appeal further with a practical but hospitality-first experience adding special, personal touches that are hard to replicate.

 NYX Hotel Holborn