The way we work has changed for the foreseeable future as people have shifted away from a traditional workspace to home offices.
Prior to the pandemic, only around 4% of the U.S. workforce worked from home, but physical distancing guidelines have forced companies to move office workers to remote working positions. This has not only changed the way we literally do work, but also the dynamic in which we do it.
“The idea of having a big head office in the middle of a city that everyone travels to — and which sits half empty most of the time — will disappear,” said Antti Tuomela, cofounder of startup TRACTR that offers tools to help property owners tools to help plan and manage their space. “There is growing pressure to use space differently and more effectively. People are looking for places to work closer to home.”
The real estate sector in particular is going to face hardships, so now is the time for companies to rethink their approach to traditional offices.
For example, García Manic, cofounder of UK predictive analysis startup Gleensite, has said that the company has seen increased enquiries from people who want to use the company’s technology that makes assessments about property values.
Coworking spaces in particular have struggled in the midst of the pandemic, but in the long-term, companies will likely opt for these spaces as they are flexible and cost-efficient.
