Where do your employees live and how are they leveraging their environment to bring new, valuable ideas to your organization? Forbes recently reported that working remotely is key to innovation.
And, as housing providers, this thought isn't limited to how your employees operate, but what product you are delivering and how it offers your buyers or tenants a comfortable working environment.
Maani Safa, the co-founder of Etch, does not lack for places to work. His company, which focuses on digital innovation, strategy and product development, rents a shared work space in TriBeCa and has offices in London and Sydney. He also keeps a home office in his two-bedroom apartment at Abington House, a rental building in West Chelsea owned by Related Companies.
Nonetheless, he can frequently be found downstairs in Abington’s co-working space — hosting morning meetings after returning late from a business trip, grabbing a cup of coffee or catching up on reading in front of the fireplace.
Changing American work habits and the growing popularity of co-working spaces like WeWork, Workhouse and the Farm continue to transform the office landscape. And residential developers have taken notice: A number of new residential projects feature shared work spaces that channel the vibe of trendy start-ups with computer bars, comfortable seating and coffee stations.
According to a Gallup survey released last month, 43 percent of employed Americans said they work remotely at least some of the time. Between that trend and the rise of the freelance economy, residents now expect more than a drab teleconferencing room.
Read More
