Navigating the modern workforce, you may have noticed that something has happened to the composition of offices and the teams within them…
It seems more and more workplaces are filled with TWAT’s and chances are, you may be one of them.
Despite what it sounds like, this is not an insult to you or your colleagues, in fact, ‘TWAT’s’ is a title given to a category of employees in a new, emerging workforce. The acronym, T.W.A.T, stands for employees who only commute to the office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, a work lifestyle that is increasingly popular. This allows for greater flexibility to Work From Home or near home at another location on Mondays and Fridays, thus, extending the prospects of a fulfilling and restful weekend.
Although it sounds ideal, naturally, there are challenges for offices dealing with these three-day-a-weekers. Namely, the feeling of emptiness within the office with so many absences top and tailing the week. This can lead to the foreboding question for business-owners of how to justify leasing an office space that does not hold as many occupants all week long.
Understandably, this is less of a concern for large companies such as Canva, a graphic design platform boasting 2000 employees based in Sydney, which only requires staff to attend the office a minimum of 8 times a year. However, the oncoming wave of TWAT’s is largely felt by smaller, start-up businesses. This is because there are often fewer staff, to begin with, if 5 workers are away in an office of 9, it can be difficult to feel a sense of community in a leased office space hosting only 4 people.
Start-ups and smaller companies have the luxury of newness, which enhances their appeal to job applicants, as opposed to traditional establishments, which may not provide the same level of flexibility. For many small businesses, it is the flexible working options and the close-knit nature which often draw employees to the role. Therefore, it would be wise to consider a new strategy on how to best manage these new commuting practices in a way that remains progressive and in favour of a Hybrid workplace.
But, how?
Although it may seem like mandating work in the office is the only answer to maintaining a full and productive workplace, there is an alternative solution. It is time to consider a new way to keep your small business buzzy without compromising on the benefits of WFH. WOTSO Flexspaces are just the answer.
Flexible offices or coworking spaces not only welcome TWAT’s but they are also MADE for them. These suburban and regional offices exist to allow employees the ease of coming and going when necessary or when they please, and no matter how much of a ‘relaxed’ boss you think you are, there are a few key reasons why FlexSpaces make managing TWAT’s even easier.
- They provide a sense of community
Take comfort in knowing that with under 5,000 members and their businesses under one roof, there will never be an “empty” day in the office. Even when the TWAT’s of your business are working elsewhere, an employee in a FlexSpace will always find themselves surrounded by professionals.
Additionally, this breeds opportunities for collaboration with similar or completely unrelated industry professionals, as well as increases the productivity of your employees (including the TWAT’s).
In “Coworking spaces: a new way of achieving productivity”, a study done by Bueno, Rodriguez and Gallego in 2018, research confirmed the positive influence of social interactions and the coworking environment on productivity.
2. There’s room to grow (or shrink) without risks
With no lock-in contracts and flexible lease arrangements, a FlexSpace is designed to accommodate the rapid growth or challenges encountered by small businesses. The option to size up or size down monthly can result in your small business paying significantly less for its overhead compared to the traditional office space.
WOTSO adapts its Flexspaces for each business according to its different needs and requirements, resulting in risk-free and customisable options that suit employers and the TWAT’s that work for them.
3. They’re low maintenance
You can now focus more on your business and less on the leaky roof or bathroom supplies. At WOTSO, everything is prepared and managed for you – WIFI, building maintenance, amenities and even snacks!
With bookable meeting rooms and a range of social spaces, there’s no shortage of spots for your team to collaborate or mingle.
As you can see, the benefits speak for themselves and take the headache out of managing your ever-evolving workforce, getting you back to what you do best.
So, whether your team is already full of TWAT’s or you need to make a move to a hybrid work-lifestyle, WOTSO has your small business sorted with dynamic FlexSpace and coworking options.
