A new survey reveals that working remotely no longer means a café or shared working space, but that hotels are the most popular choice (79%) followed by coffee shops (36%) and libraries (34%). With 87% of office workers stating they work away from the office now more than they ever have before, the survey by Premier Inn delved into what people seek when looking for alternative working locations.
The key components needed for the perfect remote working location were found to be good WiFi (81%), a quiet location (64%) and convenient location (64%), alongside the essentials including access to snacks (43%) and no time limit to the working day (48%). This rise in working remotely is driven by varying factors including avoiding office distractions (50%), convenience (44%), seeking a quiet location (38%), increasing productivity (28%) and escaping office overcrowding (20%).
Premier Inn’s Ed Fotheringham said: “With over a third of office workers preferring to work from a hotel room or lobby, rather than sitting in a nearby coffee shop or office space, it’s clear that working habits are very much evolving. People are looking to beat weekday rush hours and we have seen a trend for people checking into their hotel rooms earlier than ever before. It is now easier than ever to work remotely, meaning hotel rooms are just as accessible for Britain’s busy workers as their own homes.”
Whilst ‘working from hotel’ is on the rise, there are still things Brits miss about being away from the office, with the survey highlighting some interesting views, including:
- Nearly a quarter of respondents worried about missing out on office gossip and chat (23%)
- 28% are concerned they won’t be able to easily bounce ideas off colleagues
Top tips on how to work remotely and productively
- Match your music to the task at hand
- Find different playlists to match your different energy levels/required work throughout the day and only use them when you’re doing those tasks. For example, when powering through your inbox, you need some intense and catchy rap/R&B (like Nicki Minaj or Miley Cyrus) blasting through your headphones, but when you’re writing, Ed Sheeran is the trick. Finding what music motivates and focuses you for different tasks will completely change your WFH productivity.
- Structure your day like you would in the office
- Are mornings for writing while you’re in the office? Use the same schedule whilst working remotely. While you probably will get tasks done faster when away from the office, this structure will help keep you focused and productive.
- Put yourself in work mode
- Stick to your routine and get yourself up, dressed and ready for the day – whilst dressing gowns and pyjamas are comfortable, they don’t always make you the most productive.
- Take clear breaks
- Breaks, like eating lunch, can recharge you to do better work. Don’t assume you need to be working 100% of the time while you’re home to be more productive.
- Choose a dedicated work space
- Have a place you go specifically to work. It could be a certain table, chair, hotel – some place that’s consistently your ‘work space.’ It helps you get into the right frame of mind.
premierinn.com
