In recent years, the pandemic has changed the way we live and work. While some people wish they could experience the old way of doing things before the world shut down, others have embraced the new normal of working from home. Although remote working and coworking spaces were on the scene before the pandemic, they are now a daily part of work for professionals in increasing numbers. Another way of working that you may have heard mentioned recently is third spaces. But what are they, and how can they benefit your employees?
Today, iSpace Office Interiors will be exploring the topic of third spaces. We’ll discuss what they are and how they can greatly benefit your workforce. Once you have the information outlined in this article, we feel confident that you’ll start thinking about creating a third space of your own. Let’s get started!
What is a Third Space?
In our modern world, there are two places where we tend to spend most of our time: home and the office. You can think of these two main areas as your first and second spaces. But what’s the third space? A third space is defined as an area where you spend your time when you aren’t at home or at the office. In terms of work culture, a third space is defined as a place you can go to complete your work outside of the home or office, such as coworking spaces or coffee shops.
A third space is associated with a number of amenities that make staying productive possible. Amenities you may find offered in a third space include bathrooms, a stable internet connection, refreshments, and more private areas for holding meetings. Third spaces have become increasingly popular as of late as more people have found themselves in the unique situation of having their office closed while they have trouble working productively in the home environment. Aside from that, however, third spaces have also become popular due to their many benefits for employees. But what are those benefits?
How a Third Space Can Benefit Your Employees
1. Increased Productivity
One of the biggest benefits of a third space is found in increased productivity for professionals. In fact, over 80 percent of third space workers report that they’ve greatly benefited from the concept. Not only do these spaces provide you with technology and equipment that you may not have at home, but they offer a noise-free environment that improves productivity. For those with children, working in a home environment is often a challenge due to frequent noise disruptions. When working in a third space, you can benefit from a private and quiet environment that allows you to stay focused.
2. Opportunity for Exchange of Ideas
A third space also offers employees a greater opportunity for the exchange of ideas. Rather than meeting with the same team of people each and every day, a third space allows you to set up weekly meetings that you can use as a brainstorming session or even just to chat with your coworkers. On other days of the week, however, a third space gives you the opportunity to mingle with a variety of professionals using the same co-working space. With this opportunity, you can gain a fresh perspective on your work and network with those who can help you on your journey to success.
3. Cutting Down on Commute Time
Time is the most valuable resource for any company. With the average commute time for a worker in the United States being over 27 minutes, it’s clear that your employees miss out on valuable time each day that could’ve been spent working. Beyond that, there are many employees that have to travel up to an hour to get to and from work each day.
Long commute times have been shown to contribute to a variety of long-term health effects, including depression and ongoing anxiety. When your employees are combatting these types of effects, they won’t be happy and healthy. Whatsmore, long commute times make it difficult to maintain a healthy work-life balance, one of the leading reasons that employees quit their jobs. A third space eliminates the problems caused by long commute times.
4. Greater Flexibility For Employees
When you give your employees the power to organize their own time, they feel empowered and confident. Working in a third space allows employees the freedom to do just that. Working in a third space means employees can take breaks as needed, arrive early to work if they need to, and even enjoy the occasional late breakfast when they feel they need it. Remember our mention of the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance? A third space provides greater flexibility for employees which translates to a better state of mind.
5. Cost-Effective
Finally, third spaces save money for employers and their employees. For employers, working from a third space saves money on the cost of renting an office space, maintenance, and upkeep of that space. When you calculate the amount of money that a third space saves you, you really start to see the financial benefit.
On the other hand, employees financially benefit from a third space as well. In fact, it was reported that the average employee can save up to $4,000 every year when working from home. When an employee is given the ability to split their time between home and a third space, the money saved on commuting back and forth really starts to add up.
Creating a More Positive Work Environment For Every Employee
As an employer, you know that happy employees are the backbone of your business. A successful business is only as good as the workforce behind it. While allowing your employees to work from a third space has a variety of benefits, so does the right office space design.
Here at iSpace Office Interiors, we specialize in a variety of office interior design services that create an environment your employees can thrive in. We also offer a wide selection of office furniture that is high quality, ergonomic, and stylish. When you’re ready to create an office space that empowers your employees and increases productivity, give iSpace Office Interiors a call. We look forward to helping you create a more positive work environment for every employee.
Photo by Mimi Thian on Unsplash