“The Shift”—the future of work is brighter than we think
Though the COVID-19 pandemic has been undeniably tragic, there have been a number of fascinating positives to have come from. Take mRNA vaccination or the whole infrastructure enabling millions of employees to work remotely.
The pandemic encouraged us to re-think and re-define our lives. It made us stop running and see life through different lenses. Life without commuting, life without unlimited choices, life without rush, for many — better life. We’ve started questioning ingrained values and habits — particularly around the way we work.
in search of the ‘new normal’
In recent months, the world has been heavily loaded with discussions about the future of offices moving forward. Most businesses are considering whether to continue to work from home, return to the office, or — most likely — a hybrid of both.
Numerous studies list the benefits of working remotely over the traditional 9–5. Increased productivity, staff motivation, time saved on commuting, reduced overheads, and improved gender equality are just some of the advantages reported by employees. Research shows that only 12% of people want to return full-time to the office, while most would prefer some sort of hybrid.
There are some valid downsides of working remotely: a poorer environment for collaboration and networking, and unfavourable conditions for the younger generation, who miss out on direct contact with senior staff and the social life the office provides. Nevertheless, the majority of professionals agree that the positives outweigh the negatives.
Remote working makes more options available. I would like to share my own pandemic story where unexpectedly I discovered a whole new world of possibilities.
<< Coworking space at Nine Coliving
why to limit? — my discovery of the digital nomad lifestyle
I have always dreamed of working remotely and travelling around the world. As an architect, this wasn’t an established path, so I was an early adopter when I tested remote working from Madrid in February 2020.
In an unpredictable turn of events, weeks later, the whole office of 300 architects transitioned to working from home overnight. Since the office was closed for months, it did not matter if I stayed in London or worked from any other place. I decided to give up my room, pack my things and set off again.
I came across an article about emerging communities of “digital nomads” in the Canary Islands. After a bit of research, I found Nine Coliving — a beautiful home in Tenerife created by a Dutch girl, Anne, to host remote workers from all over the world.
It took just one hour after arriving to realise the place is something special. The beautiful historic building is set in a low-key, yet charming town of La Orotava. Free from tourists, filled with locals, the town offered a true, slow Spanish vibe surrounded by the scenic landscape of volcano el Teide and the Atlantic Ocean.
The place is a paradise, but for me, the most important feature was the community of digital nomads — people who had been working remotely for years now.
As a strong supporter of combining work and travel, I couldn’t imagine a better place to be. I have met so many great truly inspirational people, got to know their stories and learned about their lifestyle, balancing highly successful careers with travelling the world.
Staying at Nine was a real turning point in my life. It made me discover a lifestyle I believe in and a lifestyle I want to promote.
But now, colivings targeted at digital nomads are a real game-changer. They provide the whole package: accommodation, safety, community, various activities and events and, most importantly, well-equipped coworking space. They combine:
A productive work environment. There are clear rules, quiet and non-quiet zones, call rooms which are available to book in advance, and reliable internet — all to bring the best professional environment. Being around other people working add to the focus vibe and motivation.
Freedom and flexibility. Digital nomads are usually entrepreneurs or freelancers used to flexible working — both in terms of time and place. They have mastered their working day, putting productivity in the first place. Having 24/7 access to the office within the building is a big plus. If a person’s most productive time is 6–9am and 6–9pm, or they want to swap Sunday with Monday, there are no limits. You have the option to work from your private bedroom, office space, rooftop or even kitchen. Time and space combinations are unlimited depending on your needs.
Community. Colivings provide a community of like-minded people, with no need to search for new friends in every new location. Colivings bring together people from different backgrounds, enabling a perfect environment for widening social networks, both on a professional and private level.
Shared interests. Each coliving has a subtle theme that connects people sharing similar interests. Nine Coliving spins around daily yoga classes, vegan cooking, water sports, and hikes in the eternal spring environment, while Cloud Citadel in the French Alps offers the perfect environment for winter sports, hiking and climbing. If living in the castle is your thing, check out Chateau Coliving in Normandy. Anyone can choose what fits them best.
COVID-19 accelerated the growth of the digital nomad community as more people started to work remotely. It is estimated that the digital nomad community in Europe has doubled during the pandemic. The amount of new co-living spaces has grown in response. On average, there is one new coliving space opening every 2 months. The demand is constantly growing as favourite colivings tend to be fully booked up to 3 months in advance.
Personal circumstances also need to be taken into account. Many people will simply not be interested in the idea and will prefer to stay at home.
Therefore, from a business perspective, what we need is a personalised approach and flexibility. No search for norms and standards hoping people will fit in. The last thing we want is to create a next-gen workplace that simply establishes a new, static state of work. We need to keep adapting to allow for any ever-changing needs.
It’s an opportunity to create a new relationship between employers and employees. Continuous dialogue and designing “the way we work” together within the companies can bring a sense of freshness and freedom. People will enjoy their work much more if they can control it. It’s a chance for companies to redefine their philosophies attracting talents with flexibility and open-mindedness. Reshape the work, if needed, in a creative way.
flexibility and creativity on demand
During the next few years, we will be observing post-pandemic adjustments to the way we work. We should look at designing the way we work as a separate discipline with endless possibilities that are yet to come ….and as long as we allow for flexibility and creativity the future is brighter than we think 🙂
