The Rise Of The Third Workplace

Let’s build a happier, healthier workforce by leaning into the third workplace!

I’ve been an entrepreneur for over 18 years and like to say I’m proudly unemployable. Like many self-employed people, my first company (a marketing strategy consultancy) was headquartered in my spare bedroom.  When the isolation really started to get to me I would venture out to coffee shops and cafes to work - my second workplace. While this provided a nice escape, it still had its faults - and frankly, I felt like I was squatting.  

When Covid hit in March 2020, all self-employed people lost their second workplace. Likewise, most non-essential employees joined the ranks of those working from their spare room or dining room table.  

We’ve certainly all learned a lot in the last year and a half. Many employees cited that working from home was actually more productive for them than working from their corporate office. And recently many have said that they don’t want to go back to their primary workplace full-time. Recent survey data from the commercial real estate firm CBRE, shows that the majority of large companies see the need to be hybrid-focused - giving their employees the option to work from home or the office. Before Covid, only 37% of employees reported wanting flexible work benefits. That number has now risen to 56%. On the employer side, businesses actually save costs when leveraging hybrid work models. Employee turnover is lower, and office expenses are lessened.

Alternative work environments are gaining popularity because working from home can be isolating and full of distractions. Parents are juggling work with child care, and apartment dwellers are dodging roommates while they take calls. Even if you don't intend to do the dishes or fold the laundry until you're done for the day, just seeing it there can quickly take you out of the work mindset, says Georgetown professor Cal Newport, author of "Deep Work."  

Many say they miss the serendipitous collaboration opportunities office life created. A survey from Glassdoor found that 72% of remote workers miss socializing with coworkers and in-person collaboration. Architecture firm, Gensler, has tracked workplace needs and behaviors for over 15 years—including multiple studies conducted in 2020 that provide data from both before and during the Covid crisis. Before the pandemic, U.S. workers spent an average of 43% of their workweeks collaborating either virtually or in person. That number fell to 27% for workers who worked from home in 2020. This means that people working full-time at home spent 37% less time collaborating than before the pandemic.

As the WFH / return to office tug of war continues, many are pointing to a third option - the third workplace - teleworking spots in cafes, hotels or coworking spaces. The problem with the first two options is that they can be noisy - sharing space with strangers is still worrisome for some, and can you really trust a complete stranger to guard your stuff when you take a bio break?   

Some have tried squatting in hotel lobbies but parking can be expensive and the spaces can be loud. You end up hunching over a coffee table and sometimes dealing with Wi-Fi access issues. Thus the draw to a better third workplace.

Coworking spaces began to really sprout up after the last financial meltdown of 2008/2009.  When I founded my workspace for women, Hera Hub in 2011, there were said to be about 1,000 coworking spaces globally. Today there are an estimated 35,000 globally.  

Coworking spaces offer stable, secure wifi, a place to feel safe and spread out, free coffee, printing, ergonomic seating, power sources, and options for privacy (can’t effectively take a Zoom call in the middle of a coffee shop).  Probably most importantly for both remote workers and entrepreneurs, coworking spaces offer a sense of community. Research shows joining a coworking space made 89% of members happier. And 84% of coworkers feel motivated and engaged.
 
Everyone’s satisfaction increases when they have choices. Let’s build a happier, healthier workforce by leaning into the third workplace!