Government leaves employers scratching their heads once again

The Government’s new coronavirus restrictions are encouraging workers to work from home again. Jon Dweck, Founder and CEO of Space 3:2, the UK’s first dedicated office time-sharing platform, comments on the government’s new coronavirus measures and encouraging employees to work from home again:

“Boris Johnson has wasted no time in adding to the confusion surrounding UK Covid measures. Only a few weeks ago government was calling for Brits to get back to work, to now encourage people to work from home for up to six months, but still go to work “wherever possible”! Employers and business leaders are left scratching their heads: How can they best balance the needs of their business with the duty of care to their employees when the government position is so unclear?

“Businesses themselves also risk losing control of how they want to run their organisations unless they get on the front foot with understanding these new restrictions – a challenging feat when further clarity is so desperately needed.

“With so many varied roles in a single office, each made up of different tasks, we should be looking at this in a different way. If government enabled employers to define certain activities that are allowed to take place in the office, such as team planning, training and creative sessions, it would help give employers the clarity they need to move forward safely. We must also remember the mental wellbeing of staff needs to be considered. After nearly six months of working from home, we’re at a crossroads of giving people greater flexibility with work – a longed-for trend further highlighted during lockdown – alongside the social interaction we crave as humans, but conducted in a safe way.

“We know the average London business can save around £30,000 per year for every 10-office based employees, if flexibility with office space was an option. Space 3:2 is an office time-sharing platform that allows two businesses to share one office on different days. We are all about a new, long-term hybrid way of working between work and home. We recognise there is an optimum blend of activities for each business, some that can be done alone at home and others which are better suited to an in-person group setting. This is why we believe the future of work requires office space available on a part-time basis, to be safely shared with other businesses. In this way businesses can allow their employees to work from home where possible and safely in an office environment when required.

“We believe businesses who choose greater flexibility will see a range of important benefits including enhanced culture and productivity, substantial savings from reduced rents, as well as reducing the environmental impact of excess travel and commuting.”

Please don’t hesitate to get in touch via the Space 3:2 website, if you have any questions or would like to speak to Jon.