Enabled by technology, more and more of us are working away from the office. Whether it’s on trains, in airport lounges, at home or in a café, for a growing number of people “the office,” is wherever we happen to be. According to a recent YouGov poll 54 per cent of office workers are now allowed to work remotely with 30 per cent feeling that this ability increases their productivity.
They might be convenient and plentiful but do these remote working environments really allow people to work as effectively as they would in a traditional office? Some degree of background noise can be good for creativity, research shows. But beyond a certain volume it becomes disruptive and stressful. Other distractions and a basic lack of essential office facilities and support can also hinder effective working. This has an effect on productivity and, ultimately, on profitably.
However, beyond offering the basics, it’s also important to choose somewhere for your remote workers which reflects the values and corporate image of your business and it was this need that gave Adam Blaskey the idea to launch The Clubhouse. Based on the simple premise of making its members and their businesses more successful, The Clubhouse is now London’s leading business members club and meeting space, providing a more flexible and cost effective option to a London office with bases in Mayfair, St James’s, The City and Holborn.
“We provide a network of innovative, design led flexible meeting and workspaces in central London created around the needs of both fast growing SMEs and large corporates who are looking for a smarter, more flexible alternative to a London office or a better way to do business,” he says.
Business leaders across a multitude of sectors are now realising that this approach to remote working – consuming ‘Space as a Service’ on demand, as and when required, is comparable to Software as a Service (SaaS) platforms which provide everything you need but at a manageable cost.
“A growing number of the C-suite are now recognising that providing their staff with a dedicated, well-equipped, professional working environment – a proper London base – where they can concentrate on their tasks when working remotely and an environment in which to meet clients that supports the company brand clearly filters through to a stronger bottom line,” he explains.
Concerns about issues such as confidentiality when staff are working remotely and discussing sensitive issues such as HR matters, new product development or growth plans are also growing among business leaders and boards. As such access to somewhere like The Clubhouse is important to both improve productivity and to give teams the confidence that they have the tools and flexible spaces they require to make important, often sensitive decisions – But there is more.
“Company leaders are talking to me about the increasing fight for talent,” says Mr Blaskey. “Many of them are realising that in order to attract, recruit and retain the very best people they need to offer the growing number of their staff who work remotely a better environment than a noisy, crowded coffee shop.”
Co-working spaces and serviced offices have long been associated with start-ups and freelancers. However, these days, more and more larger corporates are also taking advantage of a new way of working. Today, clients of The Clubhouse are more and more likely to be faster growing SMEs and global companies such as Tesla, BP, Morgan Stanley and BUPA.
“At The Clubhouse, we have one aim and that’s to make our members and their businesses more successful. We provide everything a business needs without the overheads of a central London office,” says Mr Blaskey. “Therefore, in terms of both the cost savings and the productivity gains we offer to our members, this appeals to both the C-suite business leaders themselves as well as the remote teams in the field.”
Read more about how to make your teams flexible working benefit the bottom line at theclubhouselondon.com
