June 14, 2022
“Summer’s here and the livin’ is easy”, or so said George Gershwin.
There’s no shortage of popular songs about the season, that’s for sure, (so if we’ve triggered one for you, you’re welcome!). As we enter our third Pandemic Summer, we’re noticing firsthand the changed work habits and practices brought about by the acceptance of remote work and #wfh, and are excited to share our unscientific findings with you.
To begin with, every single one of our workspaces at each location is occupied, and for that we are exceptionally grateful. A quick survey shows it’s an even split, really, of independent businesses, and remote employees seeking a place to work that is not the kitchen table, but is also not a traditional office. This is either because the office is in another state (several members relocated here for a spouse’s job, but kept their job, thus going remote), or because the current office is local, but the environment is not conducive to deep work.
For the locally-owned, small businesses based in our Spaces, most are small teams of 1-2 people. While theoretically these folks could work from their basement or garage, they find the formality of having a real office helps them manage work-life separation, and allows them to focus fully the task at hand, be it business or personal. These teams are also the most likely to use our conference rooms and, at Bella Vista, our Phone Pods, to meet with clients and conduct online meetings.
Turning to our remote work contingent, these Members are finding independence is key to productivity. Our proximity to world-class recreation means we regularly hear a door creak open, and footsteps making their way to the front door countless times a day for a walk in the woods, some sunshine and fresh air, and, many times, a quick ride at lunch. Our North location is right on McKissick Creek and the popular Blue Hole swimming spot, so while no one will admit openly to bringing swimwear in their backpack, it’s not out of the realm of possibility.
Another Member perk we introduced a few weeks ago is our wildly successful Honor Bar. We’ve placed granola bars, beef jerky, Oreos, soup and oatmeal in both our kitchens to save our Members a trip to the corner for a quick snack. Scan the Venmo code, or put a dollar in the envelope. All items are just a buck, and paired with our free coffee, it’s just the afternoon pick-me-up you need to keep going until 5.
And speaking of 5:00, we’ve noticed that the vast, vast majority of our Members hold to a traditional work schedule. We do have one or two who come in on the weekends, and others who come in exceptionally early to accommodate international clients, but for the most part, we are a 9-5, M-F community.
We hope you found this peek into the demographics of our spaces insightful. As ever, if you’d like a tour of our spaces, call us anytime at (479) 715-0394 or email info@nwaworkplaces.com.
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