Back to school with Build to Rent
- 01st Sep 21
Image - Duet, Salford - click here for more details
No matter what age you are, September will always be synonymous with that back to school feeling. After a summer of (hopefully) fun, it is time to refocus and plan for the year ahead. Whether you are ready for the kids to finally get back to school, are starting university or are looking to shake up your career, we take a look at the Build to Rent developments that offer something special in terms of work spaces.
The growing live/work trend
Before Covid, furlough and social distancing were common phrases that we are all now too familiar with, the boom in self-employment had already fuelled the demand for live/work property. The number of Britons working from home rose by 800,000 to 4.2million during the last decade. Since lockdown, the majority of workers are now home based with future predictions stating there is likely to be a hybrid model of working, which will allow workers to split their time between working from home and the office. Live/work developments will also become a bigger part of the communities in rural towns and villages as broadband continues to make running a business from home much easier.
The pros and cons of home working
Whether you are working for a corporate company, studying or are an entrepreneur with a start-up, there are a number of pros and cons to working from home. Wave goodbye to commuter stress, improve your work/life balance and reduce your overheads in terms of travel, lunches and office attire. But there are downsides to consider including issues of isolation and remoteness, which if not addressed can lead to mental health problems.
Co-working at Build to Rent
If you are working from home, you will notice that there are a number of challenges including the lack of space and missing the buzz of colleagues around you. Build to Rent developers have come up with an excellent solution to both. Co-working spaces within developments allow you to separate your home and work life and mix with other residents to give you that personal interaction. Many developments offer dedicated business lounges, which provide all of the infrastructure you would expect in an established office space. This includes sofas, tables, chairs, screens and excellent Wi-Fi.
Forging a community
After more than a year and a half working remotely, most people are desperate for the interaction that comes with working with others. Forging a community by co-working with like-minded individuals can be a game-changer if you are building a business or want to kick-start your studies.
Value for money
If you have been working from your kitchen table or even trying to prop a laptop up on a sofa, you will appreciate that to be productive, you really need a dedicated work space. Being able to use a shared co-working space could actually work out cheaper than renting a larger flat to accommodate your needs. You can also use the office space for meetings, saving on hiring costly private areas and much more professional than trying to host an important contact in your local coffee shop.
Where work and play collide
Since the pandemic, one of the things that many workers have missed out on are the social events held in the office. A quick after work drink, a coffee with a colleague at lunch and the odd office event are the things that have been impossible to reimagine over zoom. Build to Rent are modern complexes with co-working spaces increasingly at their heart. They also offer the other facilities that make life enjoyable such as communal outdoor space, gyms, shops, bars and restaurants. This is in addition to the calendar of events both social and professional, that many developments offer.
Home working future trends
In line with the Code for Sustainable Homes and more recently, the amended London Housing Design Guide, private dwellings of the future will likely have more space earmarked for working within the private dwelling, as well as accessible communal areas. Developers are looking to include bookable meeting rooms, work from home pods and conference suites. Every budget and lifestyle will be catered for as a larger mix of properties are built. Some of the key points that will be featured in all developments are the cost-effectiveness, collaborative structure and community aspect as more people spend more time in their homes and local areas.
Benefits of co-working
Whether you are working or studying, co-working enables people to come together to work towards their independent goals. Here are just a few of the benefits:
Separating work from personal life: having a dedicated work space makes it easier to focus when it is time to work and easier to disconnect when it’s time to relax.
Getting stuff done: procrastination is the kryptonite to the home worker. It is not always easy to stay focussed and to hold yourself accountable with so many distractions around such as the laundry and Netflix.
Cutting costs: there are lots of costs associated with the office including commuting and coffees. Creating your own office also has lots of start-up costs such as printers, desks and chairs and super-fast internet connection.
Flexibility: if you want to travel or move elsewhere, then you aren’t tied into a long-term lease but still have the benefits of a fantastic office.
Community: if you work for yourself, every day is a work day and it can be hard to switch off. The important things in life like social interaction require you to make an effort to go out and meet people. When you are in a co-working space, it is much easier to forge connections because you are seeing people every day with minimal effort.
Networking opportunities: it’s not just meeting people for social interactions. Sharing a work space offers the perfect place to network and build business relationships.
Professional environment: a co-working office space gives you a professional environment to meet new clients and to put you in the right head space to pitch for new business over zoom.
Creative thinking: being in an environment exposed to people from all different backgrounds will help you to see things from different perspectives. Offices are a lot more closed off but co-working spaces encourage interaction.