Getting work done can be quite difficult if your workspace has distractions. People need a place where they can focus on the work they want to get done. Everyone has a different style of how they can be productive. Sometimes employees are extremely efficient while working in an office, while other people need a variety of different environment to work in. One of the most popular trends in workplace strategy is third place working.
Third place working is the act of working from somewhere other than your home or office. One popular place to participate in third place working is at a local coffee shop. Many workers find that they are able to focus when they have their favorite drink in their hand and they can take in the smell of fresh coffee. Another popular place to work is the library. The library is extremely quiet, and those that are working in research fields are likely to find the information available at the library to be extremely helpful. Sometimes it is just nice to get away from the office to get work done.
So, should your business be okay with third place working? Whether you know it or not, if you have employees, they are likely taking advantage of third place workplaces on occasion. How well it works for them depends on how much you, the boss, values productivity. Allowing third place working does not have to be a black and white decision. If your company relies on employees being able to work with one another, then third place working may not be ideal all of the time. If your employees tend to work alone and getting the job done is priority #1, then you should encourage workers to work from wherever they can get the most work done and whenever they may choose to do it. It will also benefit employee engagement if they are allowed to be productive on their terms. Before you establish a third place working policy at your company, you should balance your priorities so you know how much freedom you are willing to give your workers.
Flexible workplaces and Agile workplaces are extremely popular, and many businesses have flourished by allowing workers to be much more flexible. If we can help you with your office space needs, please Contact us to learn more about flexible workplaces.