The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered a major shift in the working patterns of individuals as well as organizations. With the world trying to adjust to the demands of physical distancing, commuting to and from offices has become a big challenge. Even more so for people who avail public transport and cabs every day to travel to their workplaces.

Working from home is the safest solution to avoid crowds and commuting, but it has its own disadvantages. A working arrangement that combines the convenience of location and the amenities of a fully-equipped office seems like the ideal solution here. This is where walk-to-work emerges as a smart and feasible alternative.

What is walk-to-work? What makes it the safest as well as the most sensible option in the post-COVID world?

So, what is walk-to-work?

Walk-to-work, also called neighborhood coworking, is a new trend gaining momentum in many Indian cities. In this model, you don’t have to commute to your centralized office but can work from shared office spaces set up in locations near your residence (typically within a radius of 5 km or less). Organizations, irrespective of their size, can opt to work from neighborhood coworking spaces. Listed below are a few ways in which Walk-to-work helps you reclaim your professional life without jeopardizing safety standards.

Ways in which walk to work can help you to reclaim your professional life post Covid-19

• You reduce the risks of commuting to work

• You can work out of a productive environment

• You gain a sense of community

• You get to explore networking opportunities

• You reduce the risks of commuting to work

There’s no denying that office goers have always disliked commuting long distances during rush hours. Add to that the current risk of COVID-19, the situation becomes grimmer by many notches. Commuting in crowded buses and travelling with strangers in metro trains or shared cabs are not just inconvenient but risky too.

Also Read: Work From Home Vs Shared Office Space or Coworking Space

Walk-to-work provides an easy and effective option to keep the risk of infection at bay even as you begin to work in COVID-19 times. You can choose to work out of a coworking space located within walkable distance of your residence.

• You can work out of a productive environment

The pandemic has made everyone realize the advantages of remote working. While work from home can be a solution for remote working, it may not necessarily be the best option for everyone. You may not be able to give your cent percent while remote working from home, thanks to various distractions such as the TV, kids, household work, inadequate ergonomics, lack of balance between personal and professional life, etc.

This is where work from coworking offices once again scores high. Neighborhood coworking spaces can provide you with a professional environment where you can be your productive best. In other words, the walk-to-work initiative will help you separate your work from your personal life, thereby creating a healthy work-life balance.

• You gain a sense of community

While there are many advantages to remote working, one downside is that you may miss out on socializing with your colleagues, especially when you work from home. At times, this can lead you to feel isolated, lonely, and disconnected, which, in turn, can adversely affect your mental health.

When you opt for neighborhood coworking and begin working from a shared office space, you won’t feel isolated anymore. You will not only work from a coworking office but also interact with your co-workers and become part of the co-working community. All these will help you to gain a sense of community while you work in COVID-19.

• You get to explore networking opportunities

Since the advent of the pandemic, business networking and collaborations have taken a dip. It is reported to have severe ramifications for freelancers, solopreneurs, and start-ups that rely heavily on networking for business opportunities. Neighborhood coworking remedies this issue to a considerable extent.

Also Read: What changes coworking spaces have made during Covid-19 Crisis

A coworking space often serves as a hub for professionals belonging to various fields. By being in close contact with such people and interacting with them regularly, you will be able to grow your professional network. It can pave the way to collaborate with like-minded individuals, learn, and grow in your professional field at an accelerated speed.

To sum it up

When all things considered, walk-to-work or neighborhood coworking is one of the safest and most sensible ways to get back to the office-going mode in post-COVID times. By embracing this model, you can accept the new normal and abide by its demands yet enjoy a professional and productive life.

Are you interested in joining a neighborhood in Gurgaon or a coworking space in Noida located near your residence? Check out TheOfficePass (TOP), a platform that provides all the facilities and a flexible work environment to help you get back to work without compromising on your safety.

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Think of coworking office spaces, the first thing that often comes to mind is freelancers, start-ups, and small-size enterprises, doesn’t it? Well, they are not the only ones to explore the possibilities and benefits of the collaborative work environment. Coworking has been a preferred choice for quite some time among corporates as well, including mid-size companies.

So, what are mid-size companies? How can they adopt the coworking model?  Simply put, a mid-size organization from a coworking standpoint is one whose employee strength is anywhere from 20 to 200. By embracing the coworking model, they can operate out of one or more locations, depending on the number of employees. Let’s take a look at some of the top advantages of coworking offices for mid-size companies. Here are the top 7 pros of coworking offices for mid-size companies.

Top 7 advantages of coworking offices for mid-size companies

1. Infrastructure and Amenities
2. Brand Visibility
3. Networking and Collaboration
4. Cost-Effectiveness
5. Flexible Leasing Terms and Prime Locations
6. Convenience of Scalability
7. Talent Acquisition & Retention

1. Infrastructure and Amenities

The requirements of mid-size companies are not limited to just office space and reliable Wi-Fi. As a growing organization, they need a host of facilities, starting from infrastructure to managed services.

Coworking office spaces provide them with a range of facilities that ensure smooth operations and a professional working environment. Such facilities often include meeting rooms, conference rooms, dedicated workstations, private cabins, lockers, event areas, office equipment, ergonomic furniture, front desk services, and kitchen facilities, among others.

The best part is that companies can select infrastructure facilities based on their requirements, choose a package, and start using them from the moment they finalize their membership.

2. Brand Visibility

Brand visibility is important for all organizations, both big and small. While it is easier for large corporates to build and establish their brand through marketing and branding strategies, mid-size companies might find it a challenging and expensive affair.

One of the key advantages of coworking offices is that it allows mid-size companies to create strong and sustained brand visibility. The facilities and services offered by shared offices, such as front office services, name boards, meeting rooms, etc.

That’s not all!

Coworking office providers like The Office Pass (TOP) are also offering Managed Offices where companies can opt for a customized formal office space. That is, you get the office customized as per your requirements such that everything, from wall colors to furnishings, reflects your brand.

3. Networking and Collaboration

Networking is an essential aspect of any business, especially mid-size companies, as it accelerates growth. A notable advantage of coworking offices is that they facilitate partnerships among like-minded individuals and even organizations.

When employees of a mid-size company work out of coworking office spaces, they get an opportunity to interact with other co-workers there. These may include talented individuals, entrepreneurs, and employees of other companies. Such interactions could pave the way for new business collaborations that can be beneficial for both sides.

4. Cost-Effectiveness

Not every mid-sized company has the budget for a fully-equipped spacious office space. But every company needs a proper functional space to carry out its business operations. Coworking spaces offer the benefit of using well-equipped office space at far less overhead cost than what is required for leasing traditional offices.

Moreover, mid-size companies often incur heavy expenses for setting up and maintaining physical assets, technology, and equipment. For organizations with fewer resources, capital expenditures (CapEx) can be quite encumbering. Coworking office spaces effectively remedy this situation and what’s more, you can divert and spend the capital expenditure on your core business.

5. Flexible Leasing Terms and Prime Locations

Setting up a traditional office entails loads of legal work and documentation. This is another aspect where coworking spaces score high. With minimal paperwork and simple leasing terms, shared offices offer mid-size companies a hassle-free kickstart. The flexible leasing terms also ensure that you don’t have to deposit a large sum as security fees.

In addition to the freedom from committing to a long-term lease, coworking spaces offer the advantage of location as well. You can set up your office in the prime business areas of the city at highly reduced costs as compared to taking up a traditional office on lease.

6. Convenience of Scalability

Companies often need to scale up or scale down depending on changing business scenarios. When a mid-sized company is housed in a traditional office space, the scope for scalability is limited due to space constraints.

Often companies are left with no other option but to rent a larger space when they need to scale up. If they have to scale down, they either have to continue paying the rent for the whole space or face the hassle of renting a smaller office.

This is where shared office spaces score high. They allow companies the freedom and convenience to scale up or scale down at any time.

7. Talent Acquisition & Retention

Even before the world was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, it was tough for mid-sized companies to acquire and retain talent. In the post-COVID world, it is highly doubtful whether talents can be easily convinced to even attend offices that are far from their homes.

By opting for coworking spaces, mid-size companies stand a better chance to attract and retain talents. They can offer potential candidates the flexibility to work remotely from a space that may not be far from their residence. This strategy can also help retain talent and reduce turnover.

The bottom line

With the advent of the new normal, coworking offices are becoming the sought-after option for individuals and companies alike. Away from the 9-to-5 work routine and centralized corporate offices, coworking during COVID19 times has proved to be a safe, convenient, cost-effective, and above all, productive option for mid-size organizations.

Are you a mid-sized organization looking for a coworking space in Gurgaon or a shared office space in Noida? Check out TheOfficePass (TOP), a shared office space provider that helps individuals and small and mid-size companies meet their needs for a flexible workspace.

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