Why you should embrace coworking spaces as part of the return to the office
Five years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic that popularised widespread homeworking, the pendulum is swinging back from full-time home working toward a return to the office model. Many organisations are, sometimes controversially, attempting to enforce a return to the office for 4-5 days per week. This shift presents an opportunity for coworking spaces and flexible workspace providers to offer tailored, cost-effective solutions that meet the needs of both employers and employees.
Major Companies Leading the RTO Charge
A growing number of high-profile firms have enacted stringent return to office mandates in 2024 and 2025:
- Amazon’s escalating in-office requirement: What began as a two-day-in-office policy has now evolved into a four-day standard, whilst a full five-day return was scheduled for January 2, 2025.
- Goldman Sachs’ full-time office mandate: As of 2024, the banking giant requires all employees to be on-site five days a week, citing the need for “full-time in office” to drive collaboration and mentorship.
- 5 days a week required at Tesla: Musk in 2022 said that employees must work from the office at least 40 hours per week. “If you don’t show up, we’ll assume you have resigned,” he said. Strong words.
These aren’t sole examples—JPMorgan Chase, Intel, and Citigroup have adopted similar policies—plus so many more. With perhaps the exception of Fridays being a bit more lenient, most industries are already back to pre-pandemic office attendances. As a result, commuter trains as just as packed as you remember them!
Why Employers Are Mandating In-Person Work
Executives cite several evidence-backed reasons for reversing the full remote approach:
- Productivity Gains: Research from Harvard Business Review suggests fully remote work can be up to 10% less productive on average, due to communication lags and fewer spontaneous interactions.
- Improved Collaboration: In-person environments allow for quick brainstorming, on-the-fly problem solving, and stronger team cohesion.
- Culture and Mentorship: Face-to-face contact accelerates onboarding, informal mentoring, and cultural assimilation, reducing employee isolation and turnover.
As a result, this is why so many companies are forcing their employees back into the office, sometimes even going so far as to make threats to do so. Sometimes this has been to the annoyance of workers themselves, who had become accustomed to not having to commute and being free of the costs associated with doing so.
The Limitations of Traditional Office Leases
So, is the solution to go back to traditional office spaces? We don’t think so. Despite the RTO momentum, conventional office real estate poses challenges:
- High Fixed Costs: Multi-year leases lock companies into large footprints, regardless of actual desk utilisation.
- Under-utilisation: With some hybrid schedules, many seats remain empty most days.
- Long Commutes: Employees face time-consuming, stressful commutes, potentially harming work-life balance and retention.
- Inflexibility: Rapid scaling or downsizing is difficult when space requirements shift unexpectedly. This is an especially poor prospect for startups or smaller companies who cannot afford to risk commitments to this scale.
As such, this is why we propose the use of coworking spaces as the alternative.
Coworking Spaces: The Best of Both Worlds
Here are some common annoyances associated with traditional offices which coworking spaces can counter, as we all return to the office:
Challenge | Coworking Benefit |
Under-utilised desks | Different membership levels allow for you to pay for as much as you’re going to use. For example, if you only need an office for a small number of days, simply get a package which affords you a few day passes! |
Rigid, multi-year leases | Month-to-month memberships allow organisations to adapt as they need. |
High utilities and maintenance costs | All-inclusive pricing covers cleaning, utilities, and security. |
Long employee commutes | Multiple locations close to transit hubs |
Coworking spaces also include a lot of great amenities that are typically included as standard:
- Ergonomic desks and chairs
- High-speed internet
- Meeting rooms
- Printing facilities
- Kitchen amenities
- Daily cleaning
Furthermore, the offerings given by coworking spaces – especially in competitive areas – tend to be of the highest quality. For example, here at Venture X we are based in West London, one of the best locations worldwide to do business – many household names are based here. Naturally our services will include everything you need and more!
Other services include:
- Reception and mail-handling services
- Phone booths for private calls
- Professional business addresses
- IT support
- Virtual office packages
- Networking opportunities
Boost in Employee Productivity and Retention
A high-quality coworking environment can boost employee morale and productivity thanks to its dynamic atmosphere, modern amenities, and flexible schedules. A lot of outdated traditional offices don’t come with the same benefits.
Happy, productive team members are more likely to stay — reducing the costs associated with high staff turnover. In fact, studies show that employees working in coworking environments report higher job satisfaction and engagement.
Accommodations for small businesses
More than just a one man band and wish that the benefits of coworking spaces can apply to your small business? But also want a separate space for your business like as in a traditional office? Well, you’re in luck.
We make a number of accommodations for small businesses, and indeed offer packages that can provide just that.
Layout changes
Have more control on choosing the best layout for your office space, depending on how much space you need, how many people you work with, and how you like to collaborate. You can opt for an open-plan office, cubicles, or more (or even a combination of these). Like all our office spaces, you can also adjust the lighting and temperature to your comfort level.
Specific Furniture
Select the furniture that matches your staff’s needs, your budget, and ergonomics. By contacting us, we can arrange a free consultation to better determine what furniture we can provide, to ensure your office space has everything it needs to function without becoming cluttered.
On Brand Colour Schemes
Pick the colour scheme that reflects your brand, mood, and personality, from a range of colours, patterns, and textures available in different finishes and materials. Take your office space to the next level by really making it your own, giving a positive impression on clients and staff alike.
If you’re looking for a startup office solution that aligns with your budget and your growth goals, a flexible, shared workspace could be the smartest move you make. If you’d like to know more about Venture X, explore our flexible memberships, premium amenities, and thriving business community — all designed to help you grow, collaborate, and save. Contact us to find the right plan for your team.